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Trip from Washington Heights, NY to City Island, 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

20m

Distance

10.7 mi

17 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 19m ★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Washington Heights, NY, NY

Washington Heights, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown City Island, NY, NY

City Island, NY

Clément Proust

Trip Overview

This short, 10.7-mile drive from Washington Heights, NY, to City Island, NY, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 20 minutes to complete. With a projected fuel cost of around $2, it's an economical option for a quick excursion. The route is primarily highway-focused, utilizing major arteries like the Cross Bronx Expressway and I-95. Given its brevity, you won't need to break this trip up overnight. It's a straightforward journey through the Northeast region, entirely within New York State, offering a simple way to get from one point to another without extensive planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Cross Bronx Expressway 4.1 mi 5m
I 95 2.4 mi 3m
City Island Road 1.2 mi 2m
City Island Avenue 0.6 mi 2m
Shore Road 0.4 mi 1m
Washington Bridge 0.4 mi 1m
Charles J. Crimi Road 0.4 mi 1m
West 181st Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Cross Bronx Expressway — 4.1 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Washington Heights, NY and City Island, NY.

1

Start on US 9

302 ft · 20 sec · Broadway
2

Turn left onto West 180th Street

293 ft · 17 sec · West 180th Street
3

Turn left onto Wadsworth Avenue

293 ft · 12 sec · Wadsworth Avenue
4

Turn right onto West 181st Street

0.2 mi · 41 sec · West 181st Street
5

Continue on Washington Bridge

0.4 mi · 1 min · Washington Bridge
Use the straight lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 44 sec
Toward I 95 North: Cross Bronx Expressway, New England, Eastern Long Island
7

Merge onto I 95; US 1

4.1 mi · 5 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

2.4 mi · 3 min · I 95
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 43 sec
Exit 8 Toward Pelham Parkway, Orchard Beach, City Island Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn straight onto Charles J. Crimi Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Charles J. Crimi Road
11

Turn straight onto Shore Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Shore Road
12

Turn right onto City Island Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · City Island Road
13

Enter roundabout onto City Island Road

418 ft · 7 sec · City Island Road
14

Continue on City Island Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · City Island Road
15

Continue on City Island Bridge

0.2 mi · 34 sec · City Island Bridge
16

Continue on City Island Avenue

0.6 mi · 2 min · City Island Avenue
17

Arrive at destination

City Island Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 180th Street

Turn left onto West 180th Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Wadsworth Avenue

Turn left onto Wadsworth Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 181st Street

Turn right onto West 181st Street

Navigation decision point

6
5.3 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 95

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
7.7 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward Pelham Parkway, Orchard Beach, City Island

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 8 Toward Pelham Parkway, Orchard Beach, City Isla...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.76 one way

$3.52 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $1.90 $3.81
premium $4.92 $2.07 $4.15
diesel $5.61 $2.36 $4.72

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.2 0 $1.12 $0.51
Efficient EV 2.7 0 $0.94 $0.43
EV Truck/SUV 4.3 0 $1.50 $0.68

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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

Washington Heights, NY

Morning in Washington Heights on Tuesday

Local time

6:50 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers

NW 5 to 16 mph 23% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 8:59AM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 8:03AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

City Island, NY

Morning in City Island on Tuesday

Local time

6:50 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers

NW 9 to 16 mph 22% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 8:59AM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 8:03AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

20m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a drive that is 61% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster-paced roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 4.1 miles on the Cross Bronx Expressway, offering a chance to settle into a rhythm. While largely a highway-focused experience, the approach to City Island will involve transitioning onto local roads. This route offers a practical transit feel, prioritizing efficiency over scenic detours, with the main roads providing direct passage.

61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.1 mi on Cross Bronx Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Cross Bronx Expressway and I 95. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 180th Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 10.7 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (West 180th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Wadsworth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 181st Street): Navigation decision point.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Washington Heights, NY and City Island, NY, road signs point toward New England, Eastern Long Island and Orchard Beach.

New England

0.8 mi in | ~2m

Eastern Long Island

0.8 mi in | ~2m

Orchard Beach

7.7 mi in | ~12m

About the Cities

Starting in Washington Heights, 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 20m. Total distance: 10.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 4.1 miles on Cross Bronx Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 City Island, 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 0.1 miles (West 180th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Wadsworth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 181st Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant 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 City Island, 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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