Origin
Washington Heights, NY
Morning in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
7:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington Heights, NY to Melville, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
34.7 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Melville, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Washington Heights, NY to Melville, NY is 34.7 miles and takes about 50 minutes via the Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short duration, it's a straightforward trip perfect for a quick commute or a brief excursion. You'll be spending most of your time on major expressways, so expect steady traffic, especially during peak hours. Plan this trip for when you need to get from Upper Manhattan to Long Island efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 19.4 mi | 26m |
| Cross Bronx Expressway | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Clearview Expressway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Throgs Neck Bridge | 2 mi | 3m |
| Broadhollow Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Throgs Neck Expressway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| South Service Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Washington Bridge | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 19.4 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington Heights, NY and Melville, 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 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.
9
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
10
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 295
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 4E
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
14
Merge onto I 495
19 mi
·
26 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 49S
Toward NY 110 South: Amityville
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto South Service Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Service Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Turn left onto NY 110
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadhollow Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
NY 110
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.3 miles from Washington 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 32.9 — 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
8
5.3 mi into trip
|
~8m 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
13 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
8
13.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 4E
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, East...
7
32.9 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward NY 110 South: Amityville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49S
Toward NY 110 South: Amityville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.71 one way
$11.42 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $6.18 | $12.35 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.73 | $13.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.66 | $15.32 |
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
$6
Tolls
$7
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 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 | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Melville, NY
Morning in Melville on Sunday
Local time
7:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Hillside, NY
17 mi in
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
50m 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?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the route utilizing major expressways like the Cross Bronx Expressway and the Long Island Expressway. You'll experience a predominantly fast-paced journey, with a longest uninterrupted stretch of 19.4 miles on the Long Island Expressway. The character of the drive is consistent: expect the rhythm of highway travel as you navigate these busy arteries. While not particularly scenic, it's designed for efficient transit, moving you quickly from point A to point B.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.4 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Cross Bronx Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 180th Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 34.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 180th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Washington Heights, NY to Melville, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Eastern Long Island along the way.
Eastern Long Island
13 mi in
|
~19m
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 50m. Total distance: 34.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.4 miles on Long Island Expressway. 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 Melville, 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 5.3 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Melville, 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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