Origin
Lewiston, NY
Afternoon in Lewiston on Monday
Local time
12:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Lewiston, NY to West Albany, NY
Drive Time
5h 57m
Distance
303 mi
488 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$49
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 44m
★
6 AM
5h 57m
8 AM
6h 23m
10 AM
6h 6m
12 PM
6h 4m
3 PM
6h 8m
5 PM
6h 22m
8 PM
5h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lewiston, NY
Beth Fitzpatrick
West Albany, NY
Connor Scott McManus
Trip Overview
The drive from Lewiston, NY to West Albany, NY covers 303 miles and takes about 5h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on New York State Thruway, Youngmann Expressway, Niagara Thruway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 271 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
151.5 miles from Lewiston, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 59m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 57m drive with frequent turns across 303 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
New York State Thruway is the longest continuous segment at about 271 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.6 miles in.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 303 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 16.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 298 miles (I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
16.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 16
Toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
8
26.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East: Albany
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1-49
Toward I 90 East: Albany
9
298 mi into trip
|
~5h 49m in
|
I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 toward I 87 North, I 90 East: Albany, Montreal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 24
Toward I 87 North, I 90 East: Albany, Montreal
6
299.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 51m in
|
I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
302.3 mi into trip
|
~5h 55m in
Take the exit toward Everett Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5
Toward Everett Road
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from Lewiston, NY to West Albany, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Rochester along the way.
Rochester
16.6 mi in
|
~21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 271 mi | 5h 13m |
| Youngmann Expressway | 9.5 mi | 12m |
| Niagara Thruway | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Niagara Expressway | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| I 90 | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| NY 104 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Grand Island Bridge | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Military Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 271 mi, about 5h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lewiston, NY and West Albany, NY.
1
Start on North 8th Street
49 ft
·
7 sec
·
North 8th Street
2
Turn left onto NY 18F
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Center Street
3
Turn right onto NY 104
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
NY 104
4
Turn left onto NY 265
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Military Road
5
Turn right onto Upper Mountain Road
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Upper Mountain Road
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 190 South
7
Merge onto I 190
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Niagara Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 190
498 ft
·
7 sec
·
Niagara Thruway
9
Continue on I 190
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Grand Island Bridge
10
Continue on I 190
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Niagara Thruway
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 16
Toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on I 290
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Youngmann Expressway
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 1-49
Toward I 90 East: Albany
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 90
271 mi
·
5 hr 13 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 90
Exit 24
Toward I 87 North, I 90 East: Albany, Montreal
Use the slight left lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5
Toward Everett Road
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn left onto Everett Road Extension
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Everett Road Extension
19
Turn right onto Exchange Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Exchange Street
20
Turn left onto Sand Creek Road
71 ft
·
2 sec
·
Sand Creek Road
21
Arrive at destination
Sand Creek Road
Trip Plan
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 151.5 miles from Lewiston, NY, or about 2h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 271 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 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 151.5 miles or 2h 59m 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 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Albany, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lewiston, 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 Lewiston, NY
This is one driving day of about 303 miles and 5h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lewiston, 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 New York State Thruway for about 271 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 151.5 mi from Lewiston, NY · 2h 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
152 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 151.5 miles from Lewiston, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before New York State Thruway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 271 miles.
Arriving in West Albany, NY
The final approach into West Albany, 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 West Albany, 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
$49.33 one way
$98.65 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
106 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $53.45 | $106.91 |
| premium | $4.88 | $58.25 | $116.50 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $67.32 | $134.63 |
Estimated Tolls: $13.89
New York State Thruway
(271 mi)
$13.55
Niagara Thruway
(6.9 mi)
$0.34
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
$49
Tolls
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 106 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 90.9 | 1 | $31.81 | $14.54 |
| Efficient EV | 75.8 | 0 | $26.51 | $12.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 121.2 | 1 | $42.42 | $19.39 |
Gas CO2
106 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (67% 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.
Destination
West Albany, NY
Afternoon in West Albany on Monday
Local time
12:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
Road read
5h 57m 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 Lewiston, NY to West Albany, NY covers 303 miles and takes about 5h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, Youngmann Expressway, Niagara Thruway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 151.5 miles from Lewiston, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.33 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 15 significant decision points across 303 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 16.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 298 miles (I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Lewiston, NY to West Albany, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Rochester along the way.
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