Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
11.2 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Pelham, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Washington Heights to Pelham is 11.2 miles and takes about 20 minutes via Major Deegan Expressway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive is mostly on major expressways, making it a quick transit, but be prepared for urban traffic conditions. It's a straightforward hop for local travel or as part of a larger itinerary.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Major Deegan Expressway | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| East Lincoln Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Yonkers Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| New York State Thruway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Nagle Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Central Park Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Washington Heights, NY and Pelham, NY.
Start on US 9
Turn right onto Nagle Avenue
Continue on 10th Avenue
Turn right onto West 207th Street
Continue on University Heights Bridge
Continue on West Fordham Road
Turn left onto Major Deegan Expressway
Merge onto I 87
Continue on I 87
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Central Park Avenue
Turn right onto Yonkers Avenue
Continue on Mount Vernon Avenue
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
Enter roundabout onto East Lincoln Avenue
Continue on East Lincoln Avenue
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
Turn left onto Pelhamwood Avenue
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 6.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Nagle Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto West 207th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Major Deegan Expressway toward I 87 North: Albany
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 87 / Major Deegan Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Yonkers Avenue, Raceway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$1.82 one way
$3.64 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $1.97 | $3.94 |
| premium | $4.87 | $2.15 | $4.29 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $2.38 | $4.76 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.98 | $0.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
1:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Rain Showers
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 1:03PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Afternoon in Pelham on Sunday
Local time
1:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
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.
About a third of this 11.2-mile route is on highways, meaning you'll experience a mix of expressway and surface street driving. You'll spend 3.7 miles on the Major Deegan Expressway before transitioning to surface roads like Yonkers Avenue and East Lincoln Avenue. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate the urban environment.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Nagle Avenue.
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 11.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.7 miles (Nagle Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (West 207th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Major Deegan Expressway): Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Washington Heights, NY to Pelham, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Raceway along the way.
Raceway
Founded 1788
Pelham is a town in Westchester County, New York. It contains villages called Pelham and Pelham Manor.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 11.2 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 (33%). 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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