Origin
North Merrick, NY
Afternoon in North Merrick on Sunday
Local time
3:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Merrick, NY to Richmond Hill, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
17.9 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Merrick, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond Hill, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
North Merrick, NY to Richmond Hill, NY is 17.9 miles and takes about 26 minutes via Southern State Parkway, Belt Parkway, and Van Wyck Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a quick, straightforward drive primarily within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short distance and focus on major parkways and expressways, it's best suited for a direct commute or a brief travel segment rather than an extended scenic journey. Plan for this to be a simple, functional trip where the focus is on getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| Belt Parkway | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 1.9 mi | 1m |
| Jamaica Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Aster Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Merrick Avenue North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Larkspur Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 9.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Merrick, NY and Richmond Hill, NY.
1
Start on this road
182 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Aster Avenue
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Aster Avenue
3
At end of road, turn left onto Larkspur Avenue
259 ft
·
17 sec
·
Larkspur Avenue
4
Turn left onto Merrick Avenue North
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Merrick Avenue North
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward SO West: New York
6
Merge onto SO
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on BP
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Belt Parkway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto BP
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
13
Continue on I 678
1.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 6
Toward Jamaica Avenue, Hillside Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamaica Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
Jamaica Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 16.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Aster Avenue
Turn left onto Aster Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
11 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
13.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge
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 19
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whites...
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Jamaica Avenue, Hillside Avenue
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 6
Toward Jamaica Avenue, Hillside Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.89 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.19 | $6.37 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.47 | $6.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.95 | $7.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Richmond Hill, NY
Afternoon in Richmond Hill on Sunday
Local time
3:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Scattered Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
NE 5 to 9 mph
33% chance
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
9 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
26m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 85% of the journey utilizing major parkways and expressways. You'll experience a consistent, fast-paced environment for most of the 17.9 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.3 miles on the Southern State Parkway, offering a period of smooth sailing. The route transitions between the Southern State Parkway, Belt Parkway, and Van Wyck Expressway, maintaining a high-speed character throughout. Expect limited opportunities for leisurely cruising as the emphasis is on direct travel.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Southern State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Belt Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Aster Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 17.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Aster Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.5 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in North Merrick, NY
Full guide →Arriving in Richmond Hill, NY
Full guide →Founded 1868
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 26m. Total distance: 17.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Southern State Parkway. 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 Richmond Hill, 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 (Aster Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.5 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Federal Hall National Memorial and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 Richmond Hill, 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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