Origin
Ronkonkoma, NY
Late night in Ronkonkoma on Sunday
Local time
2:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ronkonkoma, NY to Jamaica, 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
1h
Distance
41.7 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
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.
Ronkonkoma, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Jamaica, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ronkonkoma, NY to Jamaica, NY is 41.7 miles and takes about 1 hour via Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, and Northern State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, making it a straightforward hop between two points in the Northeast region. Given the short duration and highway profile, this route is best suited for a quick transfer rather than an extended scenic drive. Consider this an efficient way to get from one point to another with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 29.4 mi | 39m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Northern State Parkway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| North Service Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 164th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Liberty Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Parsons Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 150th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 29.4 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-495
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~4,880 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~521 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 24 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 Ronkonkoma, NY and Jamaica, NY.
1
Start on Ronkonkoma Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Ronkonkoma Avenue
2
Turn right onto Express Drive North
183 ft
·
3 sec
·
Express Drive North
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 495 west: New York
4
Merge onto I 495
29 mi
·
39 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 36
Toward Searingtown Road, Shelter Rock Road
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on North Service Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Service Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto Shelter Rock Road
371 ft
·
14 sec
·
Shelter Rock Road
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward N West: New York
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto N
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Northern State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on GCP
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 17
Toward 168th Street, Parsons Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto Grand Central Parkway
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Grand Central Parkway
13
Turn left onto 164th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
164th Street
14
At end of road, turn right onto NY 25
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
15
Turn left onto Parsons Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
Parsons Boulevard
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Jamaica Avenue
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
17
Turn left onto 150th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
150th Street
18
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Liberty Avenue
19
Turn left onto Inwood Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Inwood Street
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
Tuskegee Airmen Way
21
Arrive at destination
Tuskegee Airmen Way
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Ronkonkoma, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 40.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Express Drive North
Turn right onto Express Drive North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
29.8 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Searingtown Road, Shelter Rock Road
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 36
Toward Searingtown Road, Shelter Rock Road
7
30.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the ramp toward N West: New York
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward N West: New York
8
38.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward 168th Street, Parsons Boulevard
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 17
Toward 168th Street, Parsons Boulevard
6
40.2 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Parsons Boulevard
Turn left onto Parsons Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.78 one way
$13.55 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $7.34 | $14.67 |
| premium | $4.87 | $7.99 | $15.98 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $8.87 | $17.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Jamaica, NY
Late night in Jamaica on Sunday
Local time
2:32 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
8 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 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 highway, with 90% of the 41.7 miles spent on major parkways and expressways. You'll experience a long stretch of 29.4 miles on the Long Island Expressway before transitioning to the Grand Central Parkway and Northern State Parkway. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and numerous exits as you navigate these busy arteries, typical of travel within a densely populated area.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.4 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Grand Central Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Express Drive North.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.7 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.1 miles (Express Drive North): Lane positioning matters here; at 29.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.8 miles: 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.
On the drive from Ronkonkoma, NY to Jamaica, NY, road signs begin pointing toward N West: New York along the way.
N West: New York
30.8 mi in
|
~42m
About the Cities
Starting in Ronkonkoma, NY
Full guide →Islip (pronounced "ICE-lip") is a town on Long Island in the state of New York. Located within Suffolk County, the Town of Islip includes the villages of Brightwaters, Islandia, Ocean Beach and Saltaire. It also includes numerous hamlets including Bay Shore and Sayville which are ferry terminals for Fire Island. Other prominent communities are Bayport, Brentwood, Central Islip, Hauppauge, Islip village (the town seat), and Ronkonkoma.
Arriving in Jamaica, NY
Full guide →Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.
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. Total distance: 41.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.4 miles on Long Island Expressway. 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 Jamaica, 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 0.1 miles (Express Drive North): Lane positioning matters here; at 29.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jamaica, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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