Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.3 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Bel Air, MD
Da Khatri
Essex, MD
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from South Bel Air, MD to Essex, MD covers 23.3 miles and takes about 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, Southeast Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.3 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 11.3 mi | 13m |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Southeast Freeway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Eastern Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Emmorton Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Ring Factory Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Shamrock Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air, MD and Essex, MD.
Start on South Shamrock Road
At end of road, turn right onto East MacPhail Road
Turn left onto MD 924
Continue on MD 924
Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road
Turn left onto MD 24
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 695
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 702
Take the exit
Turn straight onto MD 150
Turn right onto North Woodward Drive
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 20.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 695: Essex, Towson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 695 East: Essex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 702 / Southeast Freeway toward MD 702 South: Essex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.89 one way
$7.79 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $4.28 | $8.57 |
| premium | $5.01 | $4.60 | $9.20 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $5.14 | $10.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in South Bel Air on Friday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Essex on Friday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
23.3 mi in 34m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
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 5.8 miles in.
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 14 decision points packed into just 23.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles (I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
226 ft
Total Descent
545 ft
Highest Point
359 ft
Elevation Range
330 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from South Bel Air, MD to Essex, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Towson along the way.
Towson
Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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