Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
62.9 mi
101 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
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
North Kensington, MD
RDNE Stock project
South Bel Air, MD to North Kensington, MD is 62.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via East MacPhail Road, South Main Street, and Emmorton Road, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, traversing the Northeast region. Since this route primarily uses surface roads with no highway share, expect a more local driving experience. It’s a straightforward, day-trip-friendly drive that will get you from point A to point B efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 17.7 mi | 20m |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 12 mi | 15m |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| Express Toll Lanes | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| Capital Beltway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Baltimore Harbor Tunnel | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Plyers Mill Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~6,324 veh/hr typical · worst 8,056
Quietest
2 AM
~710 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air, MD and North Kensington, 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 left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
Merge onto I 895
Continue on I 895
Continue on I 895
Continue on I 895
Keep slight left at fork onto I 895
Continue on I 895
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight right onto MD 97
Turn left onto Plyers Mill Road
Turn right onto Lexington Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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.
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from South Bel Air, MD, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 60.4 — 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 left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 97: Silver Spring, Wheaton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 97 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$11.12 one way
$22.25 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $12.18 | $24.37 |
| premium | $5.24 | $12.99 | $25.97 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $13.25 | $26.50 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.84
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Tolls
$1
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.60 | $3.02 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.81 | $4.03 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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 Wednesday
Local time
3:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in North Kensington on Wednesday
Local time
3:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Sunny
62°F
Brooklyn Park, MD
31 mi in
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.
This drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any highway cruising. With 0% highway share, you'll be navigating local streets and main thoroughfares for the entire 62.9 miles. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is not specified, but expect consistent surface road driving for the full 1 hour and 26 minutes. You'll likely notice a steady flow of intersections and local traffic patterns throughout the trip.
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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.9 miles you will encounter 18 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 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.3 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
439 ft
Total Descent
478 ft
Highest Point
359 ft
Elevation Range
359 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between South Bel Air, MD and North Kensington, MD, road signs point toward Bethesda and College Park.
Bethesda
College Park
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 62.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m 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.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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