Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
14.1 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
City Island, NY
Clément Proust
This quick 14.1-mile trip from Manhattan to City Island in New York is easily manageable as a 1-day excursion, taking approximately 29 minutes to complete. You'll navigate primarily via the Bruckner Expressway, 3rd Avenue, and City Island Road, with about half of the journey on highways. Given the short distance and estimated fuel cost of just $2, this drive is a convenient option for a spontaneous outing or a brief escape. It’s a straightforward journey within the Northeast region, perfect for a leisurely afternoon exploration without the need for an overnight stay.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bruckner Expressway | 6.9 mi | 10m |
| 3rd Avenue | 2.1 mi | 5m |
| City Island Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| City Island Avenue | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Shore Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East 84th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 86th Street Transverse | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Manhattan, NY and City Island, NY.
Start on 86th Street Transverse
Continue on East 84th Street
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
Turn right onto East 125th Street
Take the ramp
Continue on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Keep straight at fork
Continue on this road
Merge onto I 278
Continue on I 278
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Charles J. Crimi Road
Turn straight onto Shore Road
Turn right onto City Island Road
Enter roundabout onto City Island Road
Continue on City Island Road
Continue on City Island Bridge
Continue on City Island Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 11.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto East 125th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 278: Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Bronx, Queens, Randalls lsland
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep straight at fork toward I 278 East, I 87 North: Bronx, Yankee Stadium
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Pelham Parkway, Orchard Beach, City Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$2.32 one way
$4.64 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.51 | $5.02 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.73 | $5.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.11 | $6.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Manhattan on Tuesday
Local time
8:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in City Island on Tuesday
Local time
8:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 49% of the journey utilizing highway speeds. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.9 miles on the Bruckner Expressway, offering a period of consistent travel. As you transition from the expressway, the character of the drive shifts, likely incorporating more urban or local road elements as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll experience both faster-paced sections and potentially more varied traffic patterns closer to City Island.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near 3rd Avenue.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 14.1 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (3rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (East 125th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Manhattan, NY and City Island, NY, road signs point toward Bronx, Queens, Randalls Lsland, Yankee Stadium and Orchard Beach.
Bronx
Queens
Randalls Lsland
Yankee Stadium
Orchard Beach
Founded 1624
Wall Street. Madison Avenue. 34th Street. Broadway. Times Square. Manhattan is so well known that even the names of its streets have become iconic and understood the world over. This long, thin island is only one of New York City's five boroughs, but it's Manhattan that has the concrete canyons and the inimitable skyline; Manhattan that has the world's brightest theater district; Manhattan that has Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and the Met; and Manhattan that includes iconic neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and Greenwich Village. The rest of New York City has much to see and do, but it's Manhattan that represents the city—and sometimes the entire United States—to the world. You could spend a month on this tiny island and still not see all there is to see.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 14.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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