Origin
Elmhurst, NY
Late night in Elmhurst on Friday
Local time
1:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmhurst, NY to University Heights, NY
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
23m
Distance
11.5 mi
19 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
University Heights, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
The drive from Elmhurst, NY to University Heights, NY covers 11.5 miles and takes about 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Major Deegan Expressway, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4 miles on Major Deegan Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 11.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Elmhurst, NY to University Heights, NY covers 11.5 miles and takes about 23m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Major Deegan Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 4 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 early in the drive near NY 25 / Queens Boulevard.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 11.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NY 25 / Queens Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NY 25 / Queens Boulevard
Turn left onto NY 25 / Queens Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
2.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan...
5
6.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward I 87 North: Albany
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 47
Toward I 87 North: Albany
7
10.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward West 179th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8
Toward West 179th Street
5
11.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
West 183rd Street
Keep slight right at fork onto West 183rd Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elmhurst, NY and University Heights, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan and Bronx.
Manhattan
2.1 mi in
|
~5m
|
via I 278
Bronx
2.1 mi in
|
~5m
|
via I 278
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Major Deegan Expressway | 4 mi | 5m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Queens Boulevard | 1 mi | 3m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Sedgwick Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 183rd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Major Deegan Expressway
— 4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst, NY and University Heights, NY.
1
Start on Grand Avenue
90 ft
·
7 sec
·
Grand Avenue
2
Turn left onto NY 25
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn slight right
216 ft
·
8 sec
4
Turn left onto Queens Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Queens Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
6
Merge onto I 278
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto GCP; I 278
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
9
Continue on I 278
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 47
Toward I 87 North: Albany
11
Continue on I 87
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Major Deegan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 8
Toward West 179th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on West 179th Street
485 ft
·
29 sec
·
West 179th Street
14
Turn left onto Sedgwick Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sedgwick Avenue
15
Turn right onto West 183rd Street
508 ft
·
22 sec
·
West 183rd Street
16
Keep slight right at fork onto West 183rd Street
38 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 183rd Street
17
Arrive at destination
West 183rd Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.89 one way
$3.79 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.05 | $4.09 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.23 | $4.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.54 | $5.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.21 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.61 | $0.74 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
University Heights, NY
Late night in University Heights on Friday
Local time
1:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
12 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
23m 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 Elmhurst, NY to University Heights, NY covers 11.5 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Major Deegan Expressway, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.8 miles from Elmhurst, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.89 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 11.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NY 25 / Queens Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Between Elmhurst, NY and University Heights, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan and Bronx.
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