Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
54.2 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
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.
Staten Island, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Wheatley Heights, NY
Abhishek Navlakha
Staten Island to Wheatley Heights is 54.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes via Belt Parkway, Southern State Parkway, and Staten Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a largely highway experience for most of the drive, making it a straightforward option for getting from point A to point B. With a short duration and minimal stops recommended, it's a convenient choice for a quick transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belt Parkway | 20.8 mi | 30m |
| Southern State Parkway | 20.1 mi | 25m |
| Staten Island Expressway | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Manor Road | 2 mi | 4m |
| Straight Path | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| South 18th Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Richmond Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,452 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~674 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 34 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Staten Island, NY and Wheatley Heights, NY.
Start on Croft Court
Turn left onto Corona Avenue
Continue on Cotter Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Clarke Avenue
Turn right onto Kensico Street
At end of road, turn right onto Richmond Road
Continue on Richmond Road
Continue on Rockland Avenue
Turn right onto Manor Road
Turn right onto Schmidts Lane
Turn left onto Slosson Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 278
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
Continue on I 278
Continue on I 278
Take the exit
Merge onto BP
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
Take the exit
Turn sharp left onto CR 2
Turn left onto South 18th Street
At end of road, turn left onto Lee Avenue
Turn right onto York Drive
Turn left onto Valley Forge Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Conklin Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Staten Island, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 51.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto Clarke Avenue
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 278 East: Staten Island Expressway, Verrazano Bridge, Brooklyn
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward John F Kennedy International Airport, Belt Parkway East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward CR 2: Straight Path South, Lindenhurst
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.77 one way
$17.54 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $9.51 | $19.03 |
| premium | $4.85 | $10.34 | $20.69 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $10.23 | $20.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.69 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Night in Staten Island on Monday
Local time
10:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Smoke
Destination
Night in Wheatley Heights on Monday
Local time
10:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Smoke
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.
You'll spend about 82% of this 54.2-mile drive on the highway. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 20.8 miles along the Belt Parkway. The transition to surface roads will occur after the highway portions conclude, likely bringing you into more localized traffic patterns. Be prepared for merging and exiting frequently as you navigate the parkway system.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Belt Parkway and Southern State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Clarke Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.2 miles you will encounter 20 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 0.5 miles (Clarke Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.2 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
313 ft
Total Descent
287 ft
Highest Point
270 ft
~3.9 mi in
Elevation Range
261 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Staten Island, NY and Wheatley Heights, NY, road signs point toward Brooklyn, Upper Level, John F Kennedy International Airport, Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island and Cr 2: Straight Path South - among others.
Brooklyn
Upper Level
John F Kennedy International Airport
Belt Parkway East
Eastern Long Island
Cr 2: Straight Path South
Lindenhurst
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
Staten Island, NY
Restaurant
Near the start, short detour
Cuisine: thai
Hours: 11:00-09:30
Visit websitePark
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Rosedale, NY
Park
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Park
Later in the drive, right off the route
Park
Early in the drive, short detour
Park
Near the end, right off the route
Park
Later in the drive, short detour
Fort
Later in the drive, right off the route
NY
Aerodrome
Early in the drive, short detour
NY
Ruins
Near the start, short detour
Memorial
Around the midpoint, short detour
District
Near the start, short detour
Memorial
Near the start, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1683
Staten Island is New York City's "Forgotten Borough" across New York Harbor from Manhattan. Staten Island may seem like it's in an entirely different world than the hustle and bustle expected in New York City. However, it still has some of the features you've come to expect from the city. This combination of city influences and its rural origins have created a unique borough that is a great place to visit.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 54.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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