Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
20.3 mi
33 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
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.
The Bronx, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Kensington, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Spanning 20.3 miles within New York, this route connects the Bronx to Kensington in approximately 40 minutes. Because of the manageable distance and duration, you can easily complete this trip in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $3 on fuel for the journey, making it a very budget-friendly transit. You will navigate a mix of major expressways and local streets, transitioning through the dense urban landscape of the Northeast. Whether you are commuting or heading across the boroughs, this drive offers a straightforward connection that fits well into a busy schedule.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Bruckner Expressway | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Washington Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Bronx River Parkway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Parkside Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between The Bronx, NY and Kensington, NY.
Start on Cruger Avenue
Turn left onto Bronxdale Avenue
Continue on Bronx Park East
Turn left onto Boston Road
Turn left onto Bronx River Parkway Road
Take the ramp onto Bronx River Parkway Entrance
Merge onto BR
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Morrison Avenue
Turn right onto Bruckner Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 278
Continue on I 278
Continue on I 278; GCP
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Williamsburg Street West
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
Turn left onto Washington Avenue
Turn right onto Empire Boulevard
Turn left onto Flatbush Avenue
Turn right onto Parkside Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Coney Island Avenue
Continue on Coney Island Avenue
Turn left onto Turner Place
Turn left onto Stratford Road
Turn left onto Albemarle Road
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 15.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Bronx River Parkway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 278 West: Bruckner Expressway, Robert F Kennedy Bridge, Manhattan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway toward I 278 West: Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Wythe Avenue, Kent Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.34 one way
$6.68 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.61 | $7.23 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.93 | $7.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.48 | $8.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.84 | $1.30 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Morning in The Bronx on Sunday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 12 at 1:11AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Morning in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 12 at 1:11AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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 is a mixed-profile drive where you will spend 59% of your time on highways. You start by navigating the Bruckner Expressway before shifting onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, which provides your longest uninterrupted stretch of 5.7 miles. As you move away from the main expressways, the road character shifts into more technical driving along Washington Avenue and other local connectors. You should be prepared for the transition between high-speed interstate travel and the tighter, more intricate flow of city streets. It is a functional drive that requires your full attention as the road environment changes frequently.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Bronx River Parkway Road.
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 22 decision points packed into just 20.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Bronx River Parkway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
123 ft
Total Descent
145 ft
Highest Point
98 ft
~11.9 mi in
Elevation Range
87 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between The Bronx, NY and Kensington, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan and Staten Island.
Manhattan
Staten Island
“The Boogie Down” · Founded 1898
The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York. Known for Yankee Stadium, the home field of the New York Yankees baseball team, it has been a borough of New York City since 1898. The vast Bronx Zoo houses hundreds of species of animals. Nearby, the sprawling New York Botanical Garden features a landmark greenhouse with rainforest and cactus displays. By the Hudson River, Wave Hill is a landscaped public garden with wooded paths and a cultural center.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 20.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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