Origin
Washington Heights, NY
Morning in Washington Heights on Tuesday
Local time
11:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington Heights, NY to Ridgewood, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
13.4 mi
22 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Ridgewood, NY
Mel Audelo
Trip Overview
Washington Heights to Ridgewood is 13.4 miles and takes about 27 minutes via Harlem River Drive and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within New York, connecting two distinct neighborhoods within the Northeast region. Expect a drive that requires your attention, as it involves navigating city streets and some highway sections. Given its short distance, this route is ideal for a spontaneous outing or as part of a larger urban exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Harlem River Drive | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Cypress Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 58th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Flushing Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Laurel Hill Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Harlem River Drive
— 2.6 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington Heights, NY and Ridgewood, NY.
1
Start on US 9
302 ft
·
20 sec
·
Broadway
2
Turn left onto West 180th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West 180th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Amsterdam Avenue
385 ft
·
16 sec
·
Amsterdam Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
5
Merge onto HRD
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Harlem River Drive
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 17
Toward I 278 Toll: Robert F Kennedy Bridge, Bruckner Expressway, Grand Central Parkway
7
Continue on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 46
Toward I 278 West: Queens, Airports, Citi Field
9
Merge onto I 278
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 278; GCP
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 39E
Toward NY 25 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
14
Turn slight left onto 58th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
58th Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on 58th Street
227 ft
·
4 sec
·
58th Street
16
Keep slight left at fork onto 57th Place
301 ft
·
8 sec
·
57th Place
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on Rust Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Rust Street
18
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Grand Avenue
19
Turn left onto 55th Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
55th Street
20
Turn right
166 ft
·
6 sec
Use the right lane.
21
Turn straight onto Flushing Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Flushing Avenue
22
Turn left onto Cypress Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Cypress Avenue
23
Turn left onto Cornelia Street
81 ft
·
3 sec
·
Cornelia Street
24
Arrive at destination
Cornelia Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 11 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Amsterdam Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Amsterdam Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 278 West: Queens, Airports, Citi Field
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 46
Toward I 278 West: Queens, Airports, Citi Field
8
7.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
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
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, Staten Island
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward NY 25 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39E
Toward NY 25 East
7
11 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
57th Place
Keep slight left at fork onto 57th Place
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.21 one way
$4.41 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.39 | $4.77 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.60 | $5.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.96 | $5.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.17 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Ridgewood, NY
Morning in Ridgewood on Tuesday
Local time
11:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
14 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
27m 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 route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' with only 23% of it on highways. You'll experience a dynamic mix of city navigation and expressway cruising. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.6 miles on Harlem River Drive, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you re-enter more complex road segments. Be prepared for frequent turns and adjustments as you transition between local streets and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West. The drive demands active engagement due to its varied road types.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.6 mi on Harlem River Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Amsterdam Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 16 decision points packed into just 13.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Amsterdam Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Washington Heights, NY and Ridgewood, NY, road signs point toward Airports, Citi Field and Staten Island.
Airports
4.3 mi in
|
~8m
Citi Field
4.3 mi in
|
~8m
Staten Island
7.2 mi in
|
~14m
|
via I 278
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 27m. Total distance: 13.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.6 miles on Harlem River Drive. 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 Ridgewood, 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 0.4 miles (Amsterdam Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and African Burial Ground 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 Ridgewood, 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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