Origin
Putnam Valley, NY
Morning in Putnam Valley on Tuesday
Local time
6:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Putnam Valley, NY to Queens, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Putnam Valley, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Queens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Putnam Valley, NY to Queens, NY is 55.1 miles and takes about 1h 26m via the Taconic State Parkway and Hutchinson River Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive within New York State, moving from a more rural setting near the Taconic State Parkway into the bustling urban landscape of Queens. Given its relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip, allowing ample time for your destination activities. You'll primarily be on parkways, which generally offer a more scenic and less commercial driving experience than interstates.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Taconic State Parkway | 17 mi | 23m |
| Sprain Brook Parkway | 12.8 mi | 17m |
| Hutchinson River Parkway | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Whitestone Expressway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Liberty Avenue | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| US 6 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Taconic State Parkway
— 17 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Putnam Valley, NY and Queens, NY.
1
Start on this road
125 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto CR 20
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Oscawana Lake Road
3
Turn left onto Peekskill Hollow Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Peekskill Hollow Road
4
Turn right onto Travis Road
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Travis Road
5
Continue on Foothill Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Street
6
At end of road, turn left onto Strawberry Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Strawberry Road
7
Turn left onto US 6
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 6
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto Taconic State Parkway
17 mi
·
23 min
·
Taconic State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto Sprain Brook Parkway
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Sprain Brook Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on Bronx River Parkway
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Bronx River Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 11E
Toward Cross County Parkway East, Mount Vernon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto Cross County Parkway (local lanes)
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross County Parkway (local lanes)
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward Hutchinson Parkway South, Whitestone Bridge
15
Merge onto Hutchinson River Parkway
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 678
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Hutchinson River Expressway
17
Continue on I 678
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
18
Continue on I 678
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 678
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
Use the slight left lane.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 6
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue
Use the right lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
22
Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Turn left onto 104th Street
205 ft
·
9 sec
·
104th Street
25
Arrive at destination
104th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Putnam Valley, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 21.1 and 52.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
21.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Sprain Brook Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto Sprain Brook Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
34.3 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward Cross County Parkway East, Mount Vernon
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 11E
Toward Cross County Parkway East, Mount Vernon
7
47.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
8
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 6
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlanti...
9
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.07 one way
$18.14 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $9.81 | $19.61 |
| premium | $4.92 | $10.68 | $21.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.55
Whitestone Bridge
$6.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$7
Total
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Queens, NY
Morning in Queens on Tuesday
Local time
6:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
13 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 26m 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 mostly highway, with 87% of the drive on parkways. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 17 miles along the Taconic State Parkway, offering a more open feel before transitioning to the Sprain Brook Parkway and Hutchinson River Parkway. Expect a generally smooth drive with fewer exits than a typical interstate, though merging into urban traffic is inevitable as you approach Queens. The parkway system means you'll likely encounter more trees and less commercial development compared to other highway types.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17 mi on Taconic State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Taconic State Parkway and Sprain Brook Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 21.1 miles in near Sprain Brook Parkway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.1 miles you will encounter 18 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 21.1 miles (Sprain Brook Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.9 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Putnam Valley, NY and Queens, NY, road signs point toward Cross County Parkway East, Mount Vernon and Hutchinson Parkway South.
Cross County Parkway East
34.3 mi in
|
~50m
Mount Vernon
34.3 mi in
|
~50m
Hutchinson Parkway South
36 mi in
|
~53m
About the Cities
Arriving in Queens, NY
Full guide →Founded 1683
Queens is a crescent-shaped (with a tail) borough traversing the north-to-south width of Long Island and including two of the major New York City area airports, LaGuardia (LGA IATA) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK IATA). It also carries the largest ethnic diversity in its area of any region in the world, with many small enclaves. Jackson Heights, for example, includes a huge Indian area, followed by a Colombian area, and then a Mexican area. Each offers a wide array of authentic shops, native-style cuisine, and festivals modified only slightly by the generally colder New York City experience.
Top landmarks
- • Queensboro Bridge — bridge in New York City
- • Unisphere — Steel structure in Queens, New York
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 26m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17 miles on Taconic State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.55 in tolls one way, starting with Whitestone Bridge. 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 Queens, 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: at 21.1 miles (Sprain Brook Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.9 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Queens, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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