Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
27.2 mi
44 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montebello, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Montebello, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 27.2 miles and takes about 41 minutes via NJ 17 and NJ 4, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region, primarily within New York and a brief stint in New Jersey. Given its short distance and duration, it's a straightforward trip ideal for a single day. You'll encounter a significant portion of highway driving, making it a quick commute rather than an extended scenic adventure.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 17 | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| NJ 4 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| Orange Avenue | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| I 95 EXPR | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Haverstraw Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Wayne Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| George Washington Bridge (upper level) | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| US 9 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 7 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~4,026 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~1,234 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
3.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 21 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Montebello, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
Start on this road
Continue on Vivian Place
Turn left onto CR 74
Turn left onto US 202
Continue on US 202
Turn left onto US 202; 59
Take the ramp
Merge onto NJ 17
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NJ 4
Continue on NJ 4
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
Take the exit onto US 9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 9
Turn left onto US 9
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 17.4 and 27 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto US 9 toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 9 toward West 178th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 9 / Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.42 one way
$8.84 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $4.78 | $9.57 |
| premium | $4.87 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $5.79 | $11.57 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$16
Total
$20
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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 Montebello on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Morning in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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.
This drive is mostly highway, with 71% of the route utilizing express lanes. You'll experience a longest stretch of 10.9 miles on NJ 17, indicating a substantial period of consistent cruising. The transition from highway to surface roads will likely occur as you approach your destination, bringing you into a more urban environment with increased local traffic and exits. Expect frequent merging and traffic adjustments as you navigate the latter half of the trip.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 17 and NJ 4. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.4 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 27.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.7 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Montebello, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
Gsp South: Paterson
Fort Lee
New York
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 27.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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