Origin
Melrose, NY
Late night in Melrose on Sunday
Local time
4:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Melrose, NY to Elmhurst, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
7.9 mi
13 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Melrose, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
Trip Overview
Melrose, NY to Elmhurst, NY is 7.9 miles and takes about 19 minutes via Robert F. Kennedy Bridge and Broadway, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a turn-heavy local drive, making it more about navigating city streets than open highway cruising. Given its brief duration, this trip is ideal for a quick hop between locations without needing extensive planning or an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Broadway | 1.4 mi | 5m |
| Saint Ann's Avenue | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Third Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 163rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 134th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
— 2.3 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Melrose, NY and Elmhurst, NY.
1
Start on East 163rd Street
502 ft
·
21 sec
·
East 163rd Street
2
Turn right onto Third Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Third Avenue
3
Turn sharp left onto East 161st Street
118 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 161st Street
4
Turn right onto Saint Ann's Avenue
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Saint Ann's Avenue
5
Turn left onto East 134th Street
265 ft
·
9 sec
·
East 134th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 278 West: Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Manhattan, Queens
7
Continue on I 278
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 278; GCP
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 40
Toward Broadway, Roosevelt Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
264 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Broadway East, 69th Street, Roosevelt Avenue, 37th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Turn left onto Broadway
1.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Broadway
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 6.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 161st Street
Turn sharp left onto East 161st Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 278 West: Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Manhattan, Queens
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 278 West: Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Ma...
8
5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
8
6.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Broadway, Roosevelt Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 40
Toward Broadway, Roosevelt Avenue
9
6.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Broadway East, 69th Street, Roosevelt Avenue, 37th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward Broadway East, 69th Street, Roosevelt Av...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.30 one way
$2.60 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.41 | $2.81 |
| premium | $4.92 | $1.53 | $3.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.74 | $3.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.83 | $0.38 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.69 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Elmhurst, NY
Late night in Elmhurst on Sunday
Local time
4:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 27% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter frequent turns and city traffic, so keep your attention sharp. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 2.3 miles across the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. Beyond that, expect a dynamic driving experience that shifts from bridge transit to navigating urban avenues like Broadway and Saint Ann's Avenue.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.3 mi on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East 161st Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 7.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (East 161st Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Melrose, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Broadway and Broadway East.
Manhattan
1.7 mi in
|
~5m
Queens
1.7 mi in
|
~5m
Staten Island
5 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 278
Broadway
6.3 mi in
|
~14m
Broadway East
6.4 mi in
|
~14m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 7.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.3 miles on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Elmhurst, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (East 161st Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elmhurst, NY before heading back.
How this page is built
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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