Origin
Ridgewood, NY
Afternoon in Ridgewood on Sunday
Local time
1:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ridgewood, NY to Washington Heights, 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
27m
Distance
13 mi
21 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ridgewood, NY
Mel Audelo
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ridgewood, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 13 miles and takes about 27 minutes via Harlem River Drive, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect mostly surface roads for this quick hop, making it a straightforward drive. It's a good option if you need to get between these two New York City neighborhoods without a lot of fuss. Plan for a quick commute rather than an extended scenic adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Harlem River Drive | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Fresh Pond Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 69th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Myrtle Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Harlem River Drive
— 2.3 mi, about 3m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 7 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~4,026 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~1,234 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
3.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 21 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ridgewood, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
1
Start on Cornelia Street
46 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cornelia Street
2
Turn right onto Myrtle Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Myrtle Avenue
3
Turn left onto Fresh Pond Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Fresh Pond Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
4
At end of road, turn right onto Flushing Avenue
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Flushing Avenue
5
Turn straight onto Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Grand Avenue
6
Turn left onto 69th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
69th Street
7
Turn left onto Queens Boulevard
285 ft
·
9 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
9
Merge onto I 278
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto GCP; I 278
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
12
Continue on I 278
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 46
Toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 46
Toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
15
Continue on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
16
Keep slight right at fork
127 ft
·
3 sec
Toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street, 2nd Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward Harlem River Drive North
Use the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto HRD
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Harlem River Drive
19
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 24
Toward I 95 South, US 1 South: George Washington Bridge, Amsterdam Avenue, West 179 Street
Use the slight left lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Toward Amsterdam Avenue, West 179th Street, Yeshiva University
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto Amsterdam Avenue
125 ft
·
9 sec
·
Amsterdam Avenue
22
Turn left onto West 179th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West 179th Street
Toward G.W. Bridge, Fort Tryon Park, Cloisters Museum
23
Turn right onto US 9
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Broadway
24
Arrive at destination
US 9
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 4.7 and 12.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan...
8
8.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46
Toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
8
9.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street, 2nd Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street,...
8
11.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, US 1 South: George Washington Bridge, Amsterdam Avenue, West 179 Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 24
Toward I 95 South, US 1 South: George Washingto...
8
12.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Amsterdam Avenue, West 179th Street, Yeshiva University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Amsterdam Avenue, West 179th Street, Yes...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.11 one way
$4.23 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $2.29 | $4.57 |
| premium | $4.87 | $2.49 | $4.98 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $2.77 | $5.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.14 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Washington Heights, NY
Afternoon in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
1:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
27m 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 covers 13 miles with only about 22% on highways. You'll spend most of your time on surface roads, with your longest continuous stretch on Harlem River Drive at 2.3 miles. Be ready for urban merging and traffic patterns as you navigate the city. The transition from highway to surface roads will be frequent.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.3 mi on Harlem River Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in near I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 18 decision points packed into just 13 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Ridgewood, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Bronx, Randalls Island and Harlem River Drive North.
Manhattan
4.7 mi in
|
~10m
|
via I 278
Bronx
4.7 mi in
|
~10m
|
via I 278
Randalls Island
8.2 mi in
|
~17m
Harlem River Drive North
9.2 mi in
|
~19m
About the Cities
Starting in Ridgewood, NY
Full guide →Ridgewood is a village of 25,000 people (2019) in New Jersey. It is a suburban bedroom community of New York City, about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan. This article also covers the adjacent community of Ho-Ho-Kus.
Arriving in Washington Heights, NY
Full guide →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 27m. Total distance: 13 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m 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 2.3 miles on Harlem River Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Washington Heights, 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 4.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Washington Heights, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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