Origin
Richmond Hill, NY
Morning in Richmond Hill on Sunday
Local time
7:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richmond Hill, NY to Mount Vernon, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
17.4 mi
28 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond Hill, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Mount Vernon, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Richmond Hill, NY to Mount Vernon, NY is 17.4 miles and takes about 28 minutes via Van Wyck Expressway, Hutchinson River Parkway, and Whitestone Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a quick transit between these locations without requiring an overnight stay. The route primarily utilizes major expressways, making it a straightforward drive for those familiar with the area's highway system.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Wyck Expressway | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Hutchinson River Parkway | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Whitestone Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| South Fulton Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Hutchinson River Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Jamaica Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 1st Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Van Wyck Expressway
— 4.9 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond Hill, NY and Mount Vernon, NY.
1
Start on Jamaica Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamaica Avenue
2
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on 138th Street
298 ft
·
6 sec
·
138th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge, Bronx
5
Merge onto I 678
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 678
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 678
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
8
Continue on I 678
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Hutchinson River Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on HR
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward US 1: Pelham Manor
11
Keep slight left at fork
264 ft
·
14 sec
Toward US 1 South: Shopping Center, Saint Paul's Church
Use the left / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto US 1
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Boston Post Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Pelham Parkway
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Pelham Parkway
14
Continue on South Fulton Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Fulton Avenue
15
Turn left onto East 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
East 1st Street
16
Turn right onto Gramatan Avenue
361 ft
·
13 sec
·
Gramatan Avenue
17
Turn right onto East Prospect Avenue
56 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Prospect Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
East Prospect Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 15.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Van Wyck Expressway
Turn left onto Van Wyck Expressway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge, Bronx
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whites...
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway
Merge onto I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
15 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 South: Shopping Center, Saint Paul's Church
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward US 1 South: Shopping Center, Saint Paul'...
7
15.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 1 / Boston Post Road
Turn left onto US 1 / Boston Post Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.83 one way
$5.66 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $3.06 | $6.12 |
| premium | $4.87 | $3.33 | $6.67 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $3.70 | $7.40 |
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
$3
Tolls
$7
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.52 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.11 |
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
Mount Vernon, NY
Morning in Mount Vernon on Sunday
Local time
7:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
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
28m 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 drive is predominantly on highways, with 74% of the 17.4 miles covered on expressways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 4.9 miles on the Van Wyck Expressway before transitioning to other major parkways. Expect frequent merges and lane changes typical of urban expressway driving. The route concludes on surface roads as you approach your destination in Mount Vernon.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on Van Wyck Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Van Wyck Expressway and Hutchinson River Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Van Wyck Expressway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 17.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Van Wyck Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Richmond Hill, NY and Mount Vernon, NY, road signs point toward Bronx and Saint Paul's Church.
Bronx
1 mi in
|
~2m
Saint Paul's Church
15 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Starting in Richmond Hill, NY
Full guide →Founded 1868
Arriving in Mount Vernon, NY
Full guide →Founded 1892
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County in New York.
Top landmarks
- • Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site — national Historic Site of the United States
- • Trinity Episcopal Church Complex — church building in Mount Vernon, New York, United States
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 28m. Total distance: 17.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on Van Wyck Expressway. 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 Mount Vernon, 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 0.8 miles (Van Wyck Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and African Burial Ground 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 Mount Vernon, 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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