Origin
New York City, NY
Morning in New York City on Sunday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New York City, NY to Kew Gardens, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
11 mi
18 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New York City, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Kew Gardens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
New York City, NY to Kew Gardens, NY is 11 miles and takes about 25m via Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and Brooklyn Bridge, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and navigating local streets, rather than a straightforward highway journey. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a quick transit or an easy addition to a larger New York area exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Avenue | 5.6 mi | 13m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Brooklyn Bridge | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Union Turnpike | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Rodney Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grand Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Chambers Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Metropolitan Avenue
— 5.6 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New York City, NY and Kew Gardens, 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 West
Use 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 Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 278
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 32
Toward Metropolitan Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn slight left onto Rodney Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Rodney Street
16
Turn right onto Metropolitan Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Metropolitan Avenue
17
Turn right onto Vandervoort Avenue
236 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vandervoort Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Grand Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on Metropolitan Avenue
4.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Metropolitan Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Turn left onto Union Turnpike
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
21
Arrive at destination
Union Turnpike
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 1.7 — 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.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Centre Street
Turn right onto Centre Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 278: Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Cadman Plaza West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 278: Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Cadma...
7
1.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Sands Street
At end of road, turn left onto Sands Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
1.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Brooklyn-...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.81 one way
$3.62 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.96 | $3.92 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.13 | $4.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.43 | $4.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.05
Union Turnpike
(0.8 mi)
$0.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.53 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.96 | $0.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.70 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Kew Gardens, NY
Morning in Kew Gardens on Sunday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
1 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
25m 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 best described as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 27% of it on highways. You'll experience a dynamic mix of city streets and expressway segments. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.6 miles along Metropolitan Avenue, offering a taste of continuous local road travel. Be prepared for frequent adjustments as you navigate through various neighborhoods, making it a hands-on driving experience.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.6 mi on Metropolitan Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Chambers Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 11 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (Centre Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 New York City, NY and Kew Gardens, NY, road signs point toward Cadman Plaza West and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East.
Cadman Plaza West
1.3 mi in
|
~3m
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East
1.4 mi in
|
~4m
About the Cities
Starting in New York City, NY
Full guide →“The City That Never Sleeps” · Founded 1624
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 11 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m 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 5.6 miles on Metropolitan Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.05 in tolls one way, starting with Union Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Kew Gardens, 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 0.1 miles (Centre Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Federal Hall National Memorial and Castle Clinton 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 Kew Gardens, 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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