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Trip from East Ithaca, NY to Brookhaven, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h

Distance

286.4 mi

461 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$47

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 47m ★
6 AM
6h 0m
8 AM
6h 26m
10 AM
6h 9m
12 PM
6h 7m
3 PM
6h 10m
5 PM
6h 25m
8 PM
5h 52m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown East Ithaca, NY, NY

East Ithaca, NY

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

This approximately 286-mile drive from East Ithaca, NY to Brookhaven, NY is manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 6 hours to complete. You'll navigate a mix of major roadways, including the Keystone Shortway, I-81, and the Long Island Expressway, with 60% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $47. This trip stays within the Northeast region, offering a straightforward journey for those looking to cover ground efficiently. With only one recommended stop and a longest stretch of 80 miles, it's designed for a direct transit.

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

143.2 miles from East Ithaca, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 53m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 6h. Total distance: 286.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Drive Character

Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, balancing highway speeds with other road types. Approximately 60% of this journey utilizes highways, allowing for consistent travel. You'll encounter an 80-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway, which is the longest uninterrupted segment. The drive transitions between different road systems, so be prepared for changes in speed limits and traffic patterns as you progress toward Long Island. This blend means you won't be on a monotonous interstate for the entire duration.

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.
Keystone Shortway is the longest continuous segment at about 80 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 104.7 miles in near US 6.

Driving Effort 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 32 significant decision points across 286.4 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 104.7 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 219.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 219.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 32 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

9
104.7 mi into trip | ~2h 9m in | US 6

Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 187 Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
8
219.2 mi into trip | ~4h 25m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Ne...
9
219.5 mi into trip | ~4h 26m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 70A-B Toward Leonia, Teaneck
8
228.9 mi into trip | ~4h 40m 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
236.7 mi into trip | ~4h 50m 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

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between East Ithaca, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia, Teaneck and George Washington Bridge Upper Level - among others.

Mt Pocono

104.7 mi in | ~2h 9m | via US 6

Milford

105.4 mi in | ~2h 10m | via I 84; I 380

New York City

219.2 mi in | ~4h 25m

Leonia

219.5 mi in | ~4h 26m

Teaneck

219.5 mi in | ~4h 26m

George Washington Bridge Upper Level

221.8 mi in | ~4h 30m

Eastern Long Island

236.7 mi in | ~4h 50m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Keystone Shortway 80 mi 1h 37m
I 81 73.5 mi 1h 28m
Long Island Expressway 43.5 mi 59m
I 380 23.6 mi 25m
State Highway 79 15.2 mi 17m
Slaterville Road 11.1 mi 16m
Cross Bronx Expressway 6.6 mi 8m
Christopher Columbus Highway 5.5 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Keystone Shortway — 80 mi, about 1h 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Ithaca, NY and Brookhaven, NY.

1

Start on NY 366

42 ft · 1 sec · Ithaca Road
2

Turn left onto Elmwood Avenue

143 ft · 7 sec · Elmwood Avenue
3

Turn left onto Worth Street

373 ft · 22 sec · Worth Street
4

Turn right onto Cornell Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Cornell Street
5

Turn left onto NY 79

0.2 mi · 28 sec · East State Street
6

Continue on NY 79

11 mi · 16 min · Slaterville Road
7

Continue on NY 79

15 mi · 17 min · State Highway 79
8

Continue on NY 79

3.1 mi · 3 min · Main Street
9

Turn right onto NY 26

0.6 mi · 47 sec · NY 26
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 81 South
11

Merge onto I 81

20 mi · 24 min · I 81
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 81

53 mi · 1 hr 3 min · I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton Use the straight lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto US 6

0.8 mi · 1 min · US 6
Exit 187 Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on I 84; I 380

3.7 mi · 4 min · I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, Milford Use the straight lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 380

24 mi · 25 min · I 380
Exit 4 Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
16

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 1B Toward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
17

Merge onto I 80

80 mi · 1 hr 37 min · Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80

5.5 mi · 5 min · Christopher Columbus Highway
Toward I 95: George Washington Bridge Lower Level Use the slight right lane.
19

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 23 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 38 sec
Exit 70A-B Toward Leonia, Teaneck Use the slight right lane.
21

Turn right

0.2 mi · 35 sec
Exit 70A Toward Leonia Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Turn straight onto CR 56

454 ft · 9 sec · Degraw Avenue
23

Continue on CR 56

1.1 mi · 2 min · Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
24

Continue on CR 56

469 ft · 13 sec · Main Street
25

Take the ramp

472 ft · 12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
26

Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Take the exit

312 ft · 4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
28

Merge onto I 95 EXPR

0.3 mi · 20 sec · I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 95 EXPR
30

Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9

0.6 mi · 1 min · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31

Continue on I 95; US 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
32

Continue on I 95; US 1

4.7 mi · 6 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33

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.
34

Merge onto I 295

0.6 mi · 58 sec · Throgs Neck Expressway
35

Continue on I 295

2.0 mi · 3 min · Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36

Continue on I 295

3.2 mi · 3 min · Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 4E-W Toward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long Island Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Exit 4E Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
39

Merge onto I 495

43 mi · 59 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
40

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 65 Toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, Shirley Use the straight / slight right lanes.
41

Turn straight onto Express Drive South

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Express Drive South
Toward I 495, CR 101: Yaphank, Riverhead
42

Turn slight right onto CR 16

4.1 mi · 6 min · Horseblock Road
Use the right lane.
43

At end of road, turn right onto CR 80

0.9 mi · 1 min · Montauk Highway
Use the right lane.
44

Turn left onto CR 36

0.4 mi · 50 sec · South Country Road
Use the left lane.
45

Arrive at destination

CR 36

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 6-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from East Ithaca to maximize daylight and minimize potential traffic, especially as you approach Long Island. With only one planned stop and a longest driving stretch of 80 miles, you have flexibility in pacing your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $47 for the entire trip. A practical tip is to be aware of potential congestion on the Long Island Expressway as you get closer to Brookhaven, particularly during peak commute hours.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 143.2 miles from East Ithaca, NY, or about 2h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80 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 63 miles or 1h 20m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 143.2 miles or 2h 53m 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 48m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brookhaven, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving East Ithaca, 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 East Ithaca, NY

This is one driving day of about 286.4 miles and 6h.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from East Ithaca, 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 Keystone Shortway for about 80 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 143.2 mi from East Ithaca, NY · 2h 53m into the drive

town in Rockland County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ramapo, NY

143 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.

Popular next leg

Ramapo, NY to Brookhaven, NY

89.3 mi · 2h 7m

Pacing Suggestions

Binghamton, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ramapo, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 143.2 miles from East Ithaca, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80 miles.

Arriving in Brookhaven, NY

The final approach into Brookhaven, 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 Brookhaven, 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

$47.14 one way

$94.29 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 100 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $50.98 $101.95
premium $4.92 $55.51 $111.02
diesel $5.61 $63.23 $126.47

Estimated Tolls: $22.55

George Washington Bridge $16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge $6.55

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

$47

Tolls

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$95–$120

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 100.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 85.9 1 $30.07 $13.75
Efficient EV 71.6 0 $25.06 $11.46
EV Truck/SUV 114.6 1 $40.10 $18.33

Gas CO2

100 kg

EV CO2

34 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

East Ithaca, NY

Morning in East Ithaca on Friday

Local time

6:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Brookhaven, NY

Morning in Brookhaven on Friday

Local time

6:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

57°F

Ramapo, NY

143 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

16 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

6h on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from East Ithaca, NY to Brookhaven, NY covers 286.4 miles and takes about 6h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Keystone Shortway, I 81, Long Island Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 143.2 miles from East Ithaca, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.14 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

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 286.4 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 104.7 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 219.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 219.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between East Ithaca, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia, Teaneck and George Washington Bridge Upper Level - among others.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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