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Trip from Essex, MD to University Park, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h

Distance

40.6 mi

65 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m

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

Downtown University Park, MD, MD

University Park, MD

DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ

Trip Overview

The drive from Essex, MD to University Park, MD covers 40.6 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Eastern Boulevard, Eastern Avenue, I 95 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.73 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eastern Boulevard
Eastern Avenue
I 95 South
MD 212 West
Powder Mill Road
Riggs Road
Adelphi Road
Wells Parkway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Eastern Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Essex, MD and University Park, MD.

1

Start on the route

358 ft · 32 sec · the route
2

Turn left

184 ft · 16 sec
3

At the end of the road, turn right onto Eastern Boulevard

1.0 mi · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard
4

Continue on Eastern Avenue

2.5 mi · 5 min · Eastern Avenue
5

Take the ramp slight right toward I 95 South: Washington

0.3 mi · 43 sec · I 95 South: Washington
6

Merge slight left

2.1 mi · 2 min
7

Keep slight right

27 mi · 32 min
8

Take the exit slight right toward MD 212 West: Calverton

0.6 mi · 43 sec · MD 212 West: Calverton
9

Turn straight onto Powder Mill Road

2.4 mi · 4 min · Powder Mill Road
10

Turn straight onto Riggs Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · Riggs Road
11

Turn left onto Adelphi Road

2.1 mi · 4 min · Adelphi Road
12

Turn left onto Wells Parkway

0.4 mi · 1 min · Wells Parkway
13

Continue on Wells Parkway East

0.3 mi · 1 min · Wells Parkway East
14

Turn left onto Beechwood Road

312 ft · 16 sec · Beechwood Road
15

Turn right onto Underwood Street

0.2 mi · 1 min · Underwood Street
16

Turn left onto Queens Chapel Road

56 ft · 2 sec · Queens Chapel Road
17

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Laurel, MD

20 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

College Park, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laurel, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.3 miles from Essex, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.73 one way

$13.46 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $7.37 $14.74
premium $4.93 $7.87 $15.75
diesel $5.61 $8.96 $17.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.2 0 $4.26 $1.95
Efficient EV 10.2 0 $3.55 $1.62
EV Truck/SUV 16.2 0 $5.68 $2.60

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Essex, MD

Afternoon in Essex on Saturday

Local time

3:55 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

University Park, MD

Afternoon in University Park on Saturday

Local time

3:55 PM

EDT

Current temp

78°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

4 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

1h 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?

40.6 mi in 1h across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Eastern Boulevard.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

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 Essex, MD to University Park, MD is easy. At 1h 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 Essex, MD to University Park, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

About the Cities

Starting in Essex, MD

Full guide →

Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.

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 1h. Total distance: 40.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Essex, MD to University Park, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at University Park, MD before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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