Origin
Shelton, CT
Morning in Shelton on Tuesday
Local time
8:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shelton, CT to East Haven, CT
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
24m
Distance
14 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shelton, CT
Wikimedia Commons
East Haven, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Shelton to East Haven is 14 miles and takes about 24 minutes via Derby Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut, traveling from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a quick hop that's easy to fit into any schedule, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a long commitment. Consider this an easy connector rather than a destination drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Derby Turnpike | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| New Haven Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Derby Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| George Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Forbes Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Frontage Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Water Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Derby Turnpike
— 4.7 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shelton, CT and East Haven, CT.
1
Start on this road
62 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto CT 108
181 ft
·
10 sec
·
Center Street
3
Turn left onto CT 110
283 ft
·
8 sec
·
Howe Avenue
4
Turn right onto Bridge Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Bridge Street
5
Turn right onto CT 34
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
6
Turn right onto Derby Avenue
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Derby Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
7
Continue on CT 34
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
New Haven Avenue
8
Continue on CT 34
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Derby Turnpike
9
Continue on CT 34
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Derby Avenue
10
Continue on George Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
George Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto State Street
427 ft
·
12 sec
·
State Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto Water Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Water Street
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 1
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Forbes Avenue
14
Turn right onto US 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Frontage Road
15
Continue on US 1
446 ft
·
9 sec
·
Frontage Road
16
Continue on US 1
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Saltonstall Parkway
17
Turn right onto CT 142
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Hemingway Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Hemingway Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 108 / Center Street
Turn right onto CT 108 / Center Street
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 110 / Howe Avenue
Turn left onto CT 110 / Howe Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Bridge Street
Turn right onto Bridge Street
Navigation decision point
6
10.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
State Street
Turn right onto State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
10.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Water Street
Turn left onto Water Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.25 one way
$4.51 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.48 | $4.96 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.68 | $5.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.33
Derby Turnpike
(4.7 mi)
$0.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
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
East Haven, CT
Morning in East Haven on Tuesday
Local time
8:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
14 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
24m 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?
About 37% of this 14-mile route is highway. You'll encounter mixed highway and surface driving, with the longest continuous stretch on Derby Turnpike measuring 4.7 miles. Expect a fair number of exits and potential merging as you transition between road types. The drive is mostly straightforward, connecting communities within the state.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.7 mi on Derby Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CT 108 / Center Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 14 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (CT 108 / Center Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (CT 110 / Howe Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Bridge Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in East Haven, CT
Full guide →East Haven is a town in Connecticut three minutes' drive from New Haven and 35 miles from Hartford. It is part of the Greater New Haven area, founded in 1683. The town's population was 28,000 as of 2020. While East Haven has been well-known for a large Italian-American population, the town has received many newer immigrants, particularly from Ecuador, since the late 20th century. The shape of the town is vertically long, and split into three different areas: Foxon, the Center, and Momauguin. Foxon is the northernmost section and is surrounded Branford and North Branford as well as New Haven. The Center is not geographically the center of town, but contains the town hall, library, and the green, surrounded by a suburban area. Momauguin, to the south, borders New Haven along the coastline and contains the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport.
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 24m. Total distance: 14 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). 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 4.7 miles on Derby Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.33 in tolls one way, starting with Derby Turnpike. 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.
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.
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: near the start (CT 108 / Center Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (CT 110 / Howe Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Bridge Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. 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 East Haven, CT 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From East Haven, CT
More trips to East Haven, CT
Explore more options from Shelton, CT or browse trips ending in East Haven, CT.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CT road trips.