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Trip from University Heights, NY to Babylon, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h

Distance

41.8 mi

67 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown University Heights, NY, NY

University Heights, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

town in Long Island, New York, United States

Babylon, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 41.8-mile drive from University Heights, NY to Babylon, NY is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately one hour. You'll primarily navigate via the Southern State Parkway, Cross Bronx Expressway, and Clearview Expressway, making it a highway-focused journey through the Northeast. With a projected fuel cost of around $7, this route offers an economical and efficient way to travel between these two New York locations. The entire trip is contained within New York State, offering a convenient local excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Southern State Parkway 18 mi 22m
Cross Bronx Expressway 5.8 mi 7m
Clearview Expressway 5 mi 5m
Farmingdale Road 3.5 mi 5m
Throgs Neck Bridge 2 mi 3m
Cross Island Parkway 1.3 mi 1m
Jerome Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Hempstead Avenue 0.9 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Southern State Parkway — 18 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between University Heights, NY and Babylon, NY.

1

Start on West 183rd Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · West 183rd Street
2

At end of road, turn right onto Jerome Avenue

1.1 mi · 2 min · Jerome Avenue
3

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 95 North, US 1 North: Cross Bronx Expressway, New Haven Connecticut
4

Merge onto I 95; US 1

3.8 mi · 4 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork onto I 295

2.0 mi · 2 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Exit 6B Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6

Merge onto I 295

0.6 mi · 58 sec · Throgs Neck Expressway
7

Continue on I 295

2.0 mi · 3 min · Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 295

5.0 mi · 5 min · Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on NY 24

0.7 mi · 1 min · Hollis Court Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
10

At end of road, turn left onto NY 24

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Jamaica Avenue
Use the left lane.
11

Turn right onto Hempstead Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · Hempstead Avenue
12

Turn right onto 225th Street

228 ft · 9 sec · 225th Street
Use the right lane.
13

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway South, Verrazano Bridge
14

Merge onto CI

1.3 mi · 1 min · Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 25A Toward Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Long Island Use the slight left / straight lanes.
16

Merge onto SO

18 mi · 22 min · Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec
Exit 33 Toward NY 109 East: Babylon Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn slight right onto NY 109

3.5 mi · 5 min · Farmingdale Road
Use the left lane.
19

Continue on NY 109

0.9 mi · 1 min · Little East Neck Road North
20

Turn left onto NY 27A

0.5 mi · 49 sec · West Main Street
21

Turn right onto South Carll Avenue

68 ft · 2 sec · South Carll Avenue
22

Arrive at destination

South Carll Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Valley Stream, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Valley Stream, NY

21 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.

Pacing Suggestions

North Babylon, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Valley Stream, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from University Heights, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 36.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Jerome Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto Jerome Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
1.4 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 95 North, US 1 North: Cross Bronx Expressway, New Haven Connecticut

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 95 North, US 1 North: Cross Bronx Expr...
8
5.3 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 6B Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
8
18.3 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Long Island

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 25A Toward Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Lon...
7
36.7 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward NY 109 East: Babylon

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 33 Toward NY 109 East: Babylon

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.88 one way

$13.76 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $7.44 $14.88
premium $4.92 $8.10 $16.20
diesel $5.61 $9.23 $18.46

Estimated Tolls: $6.55

Throgs Neck Bridge $6.55

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$7

Total

$13

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.5 0 $4.39 $2.01
Efficient EV 10.5 0 $3.66 $1.67
EV Truck/SUV 16.7 0 $5.85 $2.68

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

University Heights, NY

Morning in University Heights on Tuesday

Local time

8:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Babylon, NY

Morning in Babylon on Tuesday

Local time

8:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

44°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

16 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

1h 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?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 73% of the route utilizing major parkways and expressways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18 miles along the Southern State Parkway, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. This profile suggests a drive characterized by flowing traffic and limited local road detours, allowing for steady progress towards your destination. The transition between these main roads is designed for efficiency, keeping you moving smoothly.

73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18 mi on Southern State Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Cross Bronx Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Jerome Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.3 miles (Jerome Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between University Heights, NY and Babylon, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway South, Southern State Parkway East and Eastern Long Island.

Cross Island Parkway South

16.7 mi in | ~25m

Southern State Parkway East

18.3 mi in | ~28m

Eastern Long Island

18.3 mi in | ~28m

About the Cities

Arriving in Babylon, NY

Full guide →

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 1h. Total distance: 41.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18 miles on Southern State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $6.55 in tolls one way, starting with Throgs Neck Bridge. 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.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Babylon, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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: at 0.3 miles (Jerome Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). 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 Babylon, NY 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.

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