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 Gravesend, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
20.2 mi
32 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Melrose, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Gravesend, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Melrose, NY to Gravesend, NY is 20.2 miles and takes about 42 minutes via Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York State, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a mixed drive that transitions from highway speeds to more local roads as you approach your destination. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a spontaneous day trip or a quick commute, offering a straightforward journey without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Coney Island Avenue | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| Washington Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Saint Ann's Avenue | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Parkside Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
— 5.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Melrose, NY and Gravesend, 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
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Toward I 278 West: Staten Island
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 31
Toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto Williamsburg Street West
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Williamsburg Street West
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Flushing Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Washington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Empire Boulevard
413 ft
·
18 sec
·
Empire Boulevard
16
Turn left onto Flatbush Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Flatbush Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Turn right onto Parkside Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Parkside Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Enter roundabout onto Coney Island Avenue
513 ft
·
12 sec
·
Coney Island Avenue
19
Continue on Coney Island Avenue
3.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Coney Island Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto Avenue V
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Avenue V
21
Turn right onto Ocean Parkway
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Ocean Parkway
22
Arrive at destination
Ocean Parkway
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.9 — 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
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
7
10.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway toward I 278 West: Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 West: Staten Island
8
11.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Wythe Avenue, Kent 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 31
Toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
6
11.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
Flushing Avenue
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.33 one way
$6.65 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.60 | $7.19 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.92 | $7.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.46 | $8.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.12 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Gravesend, NY
Late night in Gravesend on Sunday
Local time
4:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
3 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
42m 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 presents a mixed driving experience, with 37% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, including one uninterrupted segment of 5.7 miles. The drive begins with the efficiency of expressway travel before shifting to more local arteries like Coney Island Avenue and Washington Avenue. This change in road type means you'll likely experience varying traffic patterns and speed limits as you progress toward Gravesend.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 20.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
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 5 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Gravesend, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.
Manhattan
1.7 mi in
|
~5m
Queens
1.7 mi in
|
~5m
Staten Island
5 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 278
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 20.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West. 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 Gravesend, 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 5 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Federal Hall National Memorial and General Grant National Memorial (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 Gravesend, 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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