If you are heading from New York City to Brentwood, you are looking at a manageable 45.4-mile trek across Long Island. Expect the drive to take roughly 1 hour and 10 minutes under normal conditions, making it an easy day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Long Island Expressway before transitioning onto Crooked Hill Road to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of about $7, this is a straightforward commute between two points in the Northeast. Since the entire route is contained within New York state, you will not have to worry about crossing regional borders or dealing with major climate changes. It is a practical, no-fuss journey that gets you from the city to the suburbs efficiently.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Long Island Expressway
31.4 mi
44m
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
4.4 mi
7m
Crooked Hill Road
2.2 mi
4m
L I Exwy Service Road
1.4 mi
1m
South Service Road
1.3 mi
1m
Brooklyn Bridge
1.1 mi
2m
Suffolk Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
Express Drive South
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 31.4 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New York City, NY and Brentwood, NY.
1
Start on Broadway
79 ft·10 sec·Broadway
2
Turn left onto Chambers Street
0.1 mi·36 sec·Chambers Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn right onto Centre Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·Centre Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on Brooklyn Bridge
1.1 mi·2 min·Brooklyn Bridge
5
Take the exit
343 ft·9 sec
Toward I 278: Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Cadman Plaza WestUse the right lane.
6
Turn right
254 ft·9 sec
Toward I 278: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
7
Turn right onto Cadman Plaza West
31 ft·1 sec·Cadman Plaza West
8
Turn slight right
223 ft·8 sec
Toward Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
9
Turn slight right onto Prospect Street
0.2 mi·52 sec·Prospect Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto Jay Street
276 ft·17 sec·Jay Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
At end of road, turn left onto Sands Street
56 ft·2 sec·Sands Street
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Brooklyn-Queens ExpresswayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 278
3.6 mi·5 min·Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
0.8 mi·1 min·Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Exit 35A-BToward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, 48th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·18 sec·this road
Exit 35Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, 48 Street
17
Keep slight right at fork
308 ft·8 sec
Exit 35BToward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, 48th StreetUse the straight / slight left lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 35EToward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, RiverheadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island
20
Merge onto I 495
31 mi·44 min·Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·17 sec
Exit 51Toward NY 231: Northport, BabylonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Turn straight onto South Service Road
1.3 mi·1 min·South Service Road
23
Continue on L I Exwy Service Road
1.4 mi·1 min·L I Exwy Service Road
24
Keep slight right at fork onto Express Drive South
0.3 mi·38 sec·Express Drive South
25
Turn right onto CR 13
2.2 mi·4 min·Crooked Hill Road
26
Turn straight onto CR 13
0.1 mi·19 sec·Wicks Road
27
Turn left onto CR 100
0.8 mi·1 min·Suffolk Avenue
Use the left lane.
28
Arrive at destination
CR 100
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from New York City, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 22
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Chambers Street
Turn left onto Chambers Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
6.3 mi into trip|~13m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Island, 48th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35A-B
Toward I 495: Midtown Tunnel, Eastern Long Isla...
10
6.5 mi into trip|~13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, 48th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 35B
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhe...
9
6.6 mi into trip|~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35E
Toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhe...
8
39.1 mi into trip|~1h in
Take the exit toward NY 231: Northport, Babylon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward NY 231: Northport, Babylon
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.47 one way
$14.95 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$8.08
$16.16
premium
$4.92
$8.80
$17.60
diesel
$5.61
$10.02
$20.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13.6
0
$4.77
$2.18
Efficient EV
11.4
0
$3.97
$1.82
EV Truck/SUV
18.2
0
$6.36
$2.91
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
New York City, NY
Late night
in New York City on Sunday
Local time
12:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
E 6 to 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:37AM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
Destination
Brentwood, NY
Late night
in Brentwood on Sunday
Local time
12:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
North Hills, NY
23 mi in
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
15 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 10m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is a quintessential highway-focused drive, with 79% of your time spent on major expressways. You will spend the vast majority of your journey on the Long Island Expressway, which accounts for a 31.4-mile stretch of uninterrupted travel. The experience is largely defined by high-speed, multi-lane transit rather than scenic backroads or winding curves. As you exit the dense urban environment of New York City and move toward Brentwood, the road character remains consistent and utilitarian. You should be prepared for the typical rhythm of heavy-traffic thoroughfares, as the route is built for speed and direct access rather than leisure.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.4 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Chambers Street.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.4 miles you will encounter 22 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: near the start (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
161 ft34 ft
Total Climb
158 ft
Total Descent
32 ft
Highest Point
161 ft
~26.5 mi in
Elevation Range
127 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New York City, NY and Brentwood, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island, Riverhead and Babylon.
New York (known as "The Big Apple", "NYC," and often called "New York City") is a global center for media, entertainment, art, fashion, research, finance, and trade. The bustling, cosmopolitan heart of the 4th largest metropolis in the world and by far the most populous city in the United States, New York has long been a key entry point and a defining city for the nation.
From the Statue of Liberty in the harbor to the Empire State Building towering over the Manhattan skyline, from the tunnels of the subway to the riches of Wall Street, from the bright signs of Times Square to the naturalistic beauty of Central Park, and from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York's landmarks are quintessential American landmarks. The city's neighborhoods and streets are so iconic they have become ingrained into the American consciousness.
Top landmarks
•Statue of Liberty — American icon in New York, United States
•National September 11 Memorial & Museum — memorial & museum in New York City commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks
•Plaza Hotel — hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York City
This is a perfect same-day round trip. At only 45.4 miles and 1 hour 10 minutes each way, you'll be in Brentwood and back before you know it.
Family Friendly
While the 45.4-mile distance is short enough for kids, the 10/10 complexity rating means you'll be navigating a lot of traffic and highway interchanges, which could be stressful with a family.
Solo Traveler
This 45.4-mile drive is very manageable for a solo traveler, though with 79% highway and a complexity of 10/10, it might feel more like a chore than an engaging experience.
EV Driver
At just 45.4 miles, this route is easily achievable on a single EV charge, with no charging stops needed.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.4 miles on Long Island Expressway. 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 Brentwood, 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: near the start (Chambers Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument and Federal Hall 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 Brentwood, NY before heading back.
