Origin
Fort Wadsworth, NY
Late night in Fort Wadsworth on Friday
Local time
12:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Wadsworth, NY to Manhattan, NY
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
36m
Distance
17.1 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Wadsworth, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 17.1-mile journey from Fort Wadsworth, NY, to Manhattan, NY, is a manageable 36-minute drive, making it an ideal day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Gowanus Expressway and West Street before reaching 12th Avenue. With a modest fuel cost estimate of $3, this route offers a straightforward transition between two locations within the Northeast region. The mixed drive profile suggests you'll experience a variety of road types, so plan for a dynamic drive rather than a monotonous one. This trip is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing ample time for exploration at your destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 34% of it being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 5.4 miles on the Gowanus Expressway, offering a chance for consistent speed before transitioning to more varied road conditions. As you progress, the character of the drive will shift from expressway to more urban streets like West Street and 12th Avenue, requiring your attention to traffic and local road dynamics. This blend means you'll experience both flowing traffic and more intricate city driving.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Gowanus Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
107 ft
-5 ft
Total Climb
174 ft
Total Descent
165 ft
Highest Point
107 ft
~17.1 mi in
Elevation Range
112 ft
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 0.4 miles in near Lily Pond Avenue.
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 17.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Lily Pond Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Lily Pond Avenue
Turn right onto Lily Pond Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge
9
7.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Hugh L Carey Tunnel, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25
Toward Hugh L Carey Tunnel, Manhattan
8
10.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NY 9A North: West Street, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, George Washington Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward NY 9A North: West Street, Holland Tunnel...
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward West 79 Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward West 79 Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gowanus Expressway | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| West Street | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| 12th Avenue | 1.8 mi | 5m |
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Side Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West 86th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 11th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Gowanus Expressway
— 5.4 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Wadsworth, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on Battery Road
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Battery Road
2
Turn straight onto McClean Avenue
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
McClean Avenue
3
Turn right onto Lily Pond Avenue
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Lily Pond Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on this road
434 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
Toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge
6
Merge onto I 278
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Staten Island Expressway
7
Continue on I 278
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
8
Continue on I 278
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Gowanus Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
2.3 mi
·
4 min
Exit 25
Toward Hugh L Carey Tunnel, Manhattan
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
230 ft
·
10 sec
Toward NY 9A North: West Street, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, George Washington Bridge
Use the right lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9A
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
West Street
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on NY 9A
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on NY 9A
1.8 mi
·
5 min
·
12th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on NY 9A
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Side Highway
15
Continue on HH; NY 9A
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Henry Hudson Parkway
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward West 79 Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto West 79th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
West 79th Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto Broadway
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Broadway
19
Turn right onto West 86th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 86th Street
20
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward East Side
Use the straight / left lanes.
21
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.81 one way
$5.63 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.04 | $6.09 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.31 | $6.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Manhattan, NY
Late night in Manhattan on Friday
Local time
12:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
2 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
36m 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 Fort Wadsworth, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 17.1 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Gowanus Expressway, West Street, 12th Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.6 miles from Fort Wadsworth, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.81 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 17.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Lily Pond Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Fort Wadsworth, NY to Manhattan, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from -5 ft to 107 ft elevation with about 174 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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