Origin
Buffalo, NY
Late night in Buffalo on Friday
Local time
3:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
2h 31m
Distance
99.6 mi
160 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 21m
★
6 AM
2h 31m
8 AM
2h 52m
10 AM
2h 38m
12 PM
2h 36m
3 PM
2h 39m
5 PM
2h 51m
8 PM
2h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY covers 99.6 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Perkins Drive, South Elmwood Avenue, Church Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
49.8 miles from Buffalo, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 15m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 99.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 31m drive with frequent turns across 99.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Perkins Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY is easy. At 2h 31m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Perkins Drive | — | — |
| South Elmwood Avenue | — | — |
| Church Street | — | — |
| I 190 | — | — |
| I 190 South | — | — |
| Niagara Thruway | — | — |
| I 90 West | — | — |
| New York State Thruway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Perkins Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo, NY and Independence, NY.
1
Start on Niagara Square
102 ft
·
3 sec
·
Niagara Square
2
Exit the rotary onto Perkins Drive
322 ft
·
16 sec
·
Perkins Drive
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto South Elmwood Avenue
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Elmwood Avenue
4
Keep slight right
207 ft
·
8 sec
5
At the end of the road, turn right onto Church Street
502 ft
·
16 sec
·
Church Street
6
Take the exit straight toward I 190, NY 5 West: Skyway, Peace Bridge, Canada
174 ft
·
4 sec
·
I 190, NY 5 West: Skyway, Peace Bridge, Canada
7
Keep slight left to continue on I 190 South, NY 5 West: Skyway
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
I 190 South, NY 5 West: Skyway
8
Merge slight left onto Niagara Thruway
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Niagara Thruway
9
Keep slight right to continue on I 90 West: Erie
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 90 West: Erie
10
Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
New York State Thruway
11
Take the exit slight right toward NY 400, NY 16: West Seneca, East Aurora
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
NY 400, NY 16: West Seneca, East Aurora
12
Continue on Aurora Expressway
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Aurora Expressway
13
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Olean Road
89 ft
·
1 sec
·
Olean Road
14
Exit the roundabout onto Olean Road
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Olean Road
15
Continue on North Main Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
16
Continue on Olean Road
7.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Olean Road
17
Continue on State Highway 16
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
State Highway 16
18
Continue on Olean Road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Olean Road
19
Turn left onto State Route 39
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 39
20
Continue on West Main Street
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
21
Turn right onto Liberty Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Liberty Street
22
Continue on State Highway 98
8.4 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 98
23
Turn straight onto Freedom Rushford
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Freedom Rushford
24
At the end of the road, turn right
24 mi
·
36 min
25
Continue on State Highway 417
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
State Highway 417
26
Continue on East Dyke Street
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Dyke Street
27
Continue on Andover Road
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Andover Road
28
Continue on State Highway 417
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 417
29
Continue on East Chestnut Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chestnut Street
30
Continue on State Highway 417
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
State Highway 417
31
Turn right onto Independence Road
4.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Independence Road
32
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 49.8 miles from Buffalo, NY, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 22 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.8 miles or 1h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Independence, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buffalo, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Buffalo, NY
This is one driving day of about 99.6 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Buffalo, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 49.8 mi from Buffalo, NY · 1h 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
50 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 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 49.8 miles from Buffalo, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Independence, NY
The final approach into Independence, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Independence, NY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.39 one way
$32.79 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
35 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $17.73 | $35.46 |
| premium | $4.92 | $19.30 | $38.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.99 | $43.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 29.9 | 0 | $10.46 | $4.78 |
| Efficient EV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.71 | $3.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 39.8 | 0 | $13.94 | $6.37 |
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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
Independence, NY
Late night in Independence on Friday
Local time
3:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
41°F
Rushford, NY
50 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
6 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
2h 31m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY covers 99.6 miles and takes about 2h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Perkins Drive, South Elmwood Avenue, Church Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 49.8 miles from Buffalo, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.39 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY is easy. At 2h 31m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Buffalo, NY to Independence, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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