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Trip from Olney, MD to Essex, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

39.1 mi

63 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Olney, MD, MD

Olney, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 39.1-mile drive from Olney, MD to Essex, MD is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 1 minute to complete. The route primarily utilizes major roadways like I-95 and the Patuxent Freeway, offering a straightforward journey. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $6, this drive is budget-friendly. Since both Olney and Essex are located in the Northeast region of Maryland, you'll experience a consistent regional feel throughout your travel. It's a practical option for a quick transit between these two Maryland locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 19.4 mi 24m
Patuxent Freeway 3.8 mi 5m
Olney Sandy Spring Road 2.9 mi 5m
Hall Shop Road 2.8 mi 4m
Ashton Road 2.4 mi 3m
Eastern Avenue 2.3 mi 4m
Guilford Road 1.7 mi 3m
Eastern Boulevard 1 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 19.4 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Olney, MD and Essex, MD.

1

Start on 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD

0.2 mi · 36 sec · 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
2

Turn left onto Spartan Road

0.3 mi · 46 sec · Spartan Road
3

Turn right onto MD 108

2.9 mi · 5 min · Olney Sandy Spring Road
4

Continue on MD 108

2.4 mi · 3 min · Ashton Road
5

Continue on MD 108

0.8 mi · 1 min · Clarksville Pike
6

Turn right onto Hall Shop Road

2.8 mi · 4 min · Hall Shop Road
7

Turn right onto Guilford Road

1.7 mi · 3 min · Guilford Road
8

At end of road, turn left onto Cedar Lane

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Cedar Lane
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward MD 32 East: Annapolis
10

Merge onto MD 32

3.8 mi · 5 min · Patuxent Freeway
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 13A Toward I 95 North: Baltimore Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12

Merge onto I 95

15 mi · 18 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

4.3 mi · 5 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 29 sec
Exit 59 Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork

256 ft · 8 sec
Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex Use the right lane.
16

Turn right onto MD 150

2.3 mi · 4 min · Eastern Avenue
Use the straight lane.
17

Continue on MD 150

1.0 mi · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard
18

Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue

211 ft · 13 sec · North Taylor Avenue
19

Turn right

521 ft · 38 sec
20

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbia, MD

20 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Dundalk, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hanover, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Olney, MD, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 11.1 and 35.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
11.1 mi into trip | ~20m in | Cedar Lane

At end of road, turn left onto Cedar Lane

Navigation decision point

7
15.4 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward I 95 North: Baltimore

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 13A Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
6
31.1 mi into trip | ~46m in | I 95

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
35.4 mi into trip | ~52m in

Take the exit toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 59 Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
9
35.6 mi into trip | ~52m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.48 one way

$12.96 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $7.10 $14.20
premium $4.93 $7.58 $15.17
diesel $5.61 $8.63 $17.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.7 0 $4.11 $1.88
Efficient EV 9.8 0 $3.42 $1.56
EV Truck/SUV 15.6 0 $5.47 $2.50

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Olney, MD

Late night in Olney on Sunday

Local time

12:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Essex, MD

Late night in Essex on Sunday

Local time

12:20 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Columbia, MD

20 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

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

1h 1m 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?

Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 59% of your journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on I-95, including one continuous segment of 19.4 miles, which will likely feel like a typical interstate experience. Before and after these highway portions, you'll navigate roads like Olney Sandy Spring Road and the Patuxent Freeway, offering a change of pace from the faster travel. This blend means you'll experience both efficient highway cruising and slightly more varied driving conditions as you make your way across Maryland.

59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.4 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

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 11.1 miles in near Cedar Lane.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.1 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 11.1 miles (Cedar Lane): Navigation decision point; at 15.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.1 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Essex, MD

Full guide →

Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.

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 1h 1m. Total distance: 39.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). 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 19.4 miles on I 95. 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 Essex, MD 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 11.1 miles (Cedar Lane): Navigation decision point; at 15.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.1 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 Essex, MD 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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