Origin
Copiague, NY
Morning in Copiague on Wednesday
Local time
7:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Copiague, NY to Utica, NY
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
5h 24m
Distance
267.7 mi
431 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 11m
★
6 AM
5h 25m
8 AM
5h 52m
10 AM
5h 34m
12 PM
5h 32m
3 PM
5h 36m
5 PM
5h 50m
8 PM
5h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Copiague, NY
Peter Olexa
Utica, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 267.7-mile drive from Copiague, NY, to Utica, NY, is a manageable one-day trip, estimated to take about 5 hours and 24 minutes. You'll primarily be on major highways, with the Southern State Parkway, NY 17, and the New York State Thruway forming the backbone of your journey. With a highway share of 64%, expect a fairly direct route with a fuel cost estimated at $44. This drive is well-suited for a single day, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop. The route focuses on efficient travel between two points within the Northeast region.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
133.8 miles from Copiague, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 48m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This route is largely highway-focused, with 64% of the journey on major roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of uninterrupted driving on NY 17, covering 117.5 miles. The character of the drive is dominated by the efficiency of the New York State Thruway and the parkways. Expect a steady pace, with the road primarily designed for covering distance rather than offering particularly varied scenery. The progression will likely feel consistent as you transition from parkways to interstates.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 45 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NY 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 117.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 17 and New York State Thruway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 21.2 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 32 significant decision points across 267.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 32 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
21.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
8
21.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hempstead Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
8
40.2 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
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.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
9
40.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 72A
Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
8
47.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Copiague, NY and Utica, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack and Gsp South - among others.
Cross Island Parkway North
19.5 mi in
|
~25m
Hempstead Avenue West
21.2 mi in
|
~28m
Grandstand
21.4 mi in
|
~29m
Upper Level
37.6 mi in
|
~52m
|
via I 95; US 1
Njtp South: Hackensack
40.2 mi in
|
~55m
Gsp South
47.2 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Gsp North
47.2 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Newark
47.2 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Mahwah
47.2 mi in
|
~1h 5m
New York State Thruway North: Albany
62.5 mi in
|
~1h 25m
|
via NY 17
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NY 17 | 117.5 mi | 2h 15m |
| New York State Thruway | 85.1 mi | 1h 38m |
| Southern State Parkway | 16.5 mi | 20m |
| NJ 17 | 14.7 mi | 18m |
| NJ 4 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| Cross Bronx Expressway | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Clearview Expressway | 5 mi | 5m |
| Throgs Neck Bridge | 2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
NY 17
— 117.5 mi, about 2h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Copiague, NY and Utica, NY.
1
Start on Marconi Boulevard
35 ft
·
3 sec
·
Marconi Boulevard
2
Turn right onto CR 47
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Great Neck Road
3
Turn left onto CR 2
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dixon Avenue
4
Turn right onto NY 110
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward Southern Parkway West, New York
6
Merge onto SO
17 mi
·
20 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto CI
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
9
Take the exit
317 ft
·
9 sec
Exit 26B
Toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
437 ft
·
12 sec
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
12
Keep slight right at fork
266 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
this road
Toward Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
14
Keep slight left at fork
100 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue
15
Turn right onto NY 24
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Hempstead Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
17
Turn right onto NY 24
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
212th Street
18
Continue on I 295
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
20
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
23
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
24
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; NJTP
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 72A
Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
29
Merge onto NJ 4
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
NJ 4
Use the slight right lane.
30
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah
Use the straight lane.
31
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Merge onto NJ 17
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on NJ 17
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
NJ 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
34
Continue on NJ 17
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
NJ 17
35
Continue on NJ 17
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 17
36
Continue on I 287; NY 17
0.2 mi
·
10 sec
·
I 287; NY 17
37
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 17
118 mi
·
2 hr 15 min
·
NY 17
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
85 mi
·
1 hr 38 min
·
New York State Thruway
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
39
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 790, NY 8, NY 12: Utica
Use the slight right lane.
40
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
41
Keep slight right at fork
159 ft
·
3 sec
42
Turn slight right onto North Genesee Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Genesee Street
43
Continue on Genesee Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Genesee Street
44
Turn right onto Washington Lane
63 ft
·
2 sec
·
Washington Lane
45
Arrive at destination
Washington Lane
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour 24-minute duration, departing Copiague in the morning will allow you to reach Utica with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before embarking on the longest stretch of 117.5 miles on NY 17, as services can be more spread out on interstates. The estimated fuel cost of $44 is a good baseline for budgeting. A practical tip is to confirm your GPS is set to avoid tolls if you prefer not to use the New York State Thruway, though this may significantly alter your route and duration.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 133.8 miles from Copiague, NY, or about 2h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.5 miles.
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 80 miles or 1h 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133.8 miles or 2h 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Utica, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Copiague, 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 Copiague, NY
This is one driving day of about 267.7 miles and 5h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Copiague, 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.
The longest stretch is on NY 17 for about 117.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 133.8 mi from Copiague, NY · 2h 48m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 133.8 miles from Copiague, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before NY 17 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 117.5 miles.
Arriving in Utica, NY
The final approach into Utica, 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 Utica, NY.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.07 one way
$88.13 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $47.65 | $95.30 |
| premium | $4.92 | $51.89 | $103.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.10 | $118.21 |
Estimated Tolls: $26.80
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(85.1 mi)
$4.25
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Tolls
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$96–$121
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.3 | 0 | $28.11 | $12.85 |
| Efficient EV | 66.9 | 0 | $23.42 | $10.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.1 | 1 | $37.48 | $17.13 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Utica, NY
Morning in Utica on Wednesday
Local time
7:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Ramapo, NY
134 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
8 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
5h 24m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Copiague, NY to Utica, NY covers 267.7 miles and takes about 5h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 17, New York State Thruway, Southern State Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 133.8 miles from Copiague, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.07 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 32 significant decision points across 267.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 21.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Copiague, NY and Utica, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack and Gsp South - among others.
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