Origin
Oakwood, NY
Evening in Oakwood on Friday
Local time
7:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oakwood, NY to Elmhurst, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
21.4 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakwood, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
Trip Overview
Oakwood, NY to Elmhurst, NY is 21.4 miles and takes about 41 minutes via Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, direct drive entirely within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its highway-focused profile and brief duration, this route is best suited for a quick transit rather than an extended journey. You'll be spending most of your time on major expressways, so expect typical urban highway conditions and traffic.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 21.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is predominantly highway-focused, with 69% of the drive utilizing major expressways. You'll encounter stretches like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, including one uninterrupted segment of 8.3 miles. The character of the drive is defined by its urban expressway nature, which means navigating elevated roadways and managing traffic flow typical of a busy metropolitan area. Expect a consistent driving experience with limited deviations from the main highway corridors.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Gowanus Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Hylan Boulevard.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 21.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Hylan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hylan Boulevard
Turn left onto Hylan Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
3.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge, Brooklyn
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge, Brook...
9
11.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, RFK Bridge, Hamilton Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 26
Toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway,...
6
17.8 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
19.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward NY 25
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39
Toward NY 25
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oakwood, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Brooklyn and Upper Level.
Brooklyn
3.8 mi in
|
~10m
Upper Level
4.2 mi in
|
~11m
|
via I 278
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 8.3 mi | 13m |
| Gowanus Expressway | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Hylan Boulevard | 3.3 mi | 9m |
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Queens Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Staten Island Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Steuben Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 65th Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
— 8.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakwood, NY and Elmhurst, NY.
1
Start on this road
74 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Hylan Boulevard
3.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Hylan Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn left onto Steuben Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Steuben Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on Hylan Boulevard
512 ft
·
18 sec
·
Hylan Boulevard
5
Turn right onto Narrows Road South
147 ft
·
3 sec
·
Narrows Road South
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 278 Toll East: Verrazano Bridge, Brooklyn
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 278
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Staten Island Expressway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Staten Island Expressway
Toward Upper Level
9
Continue on I 278
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
10
Continue on I 278
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Gowanus Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 278
6.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Exit 26
Toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, RFK Bridge, Hamilton Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 39
Toward NY 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
142 ft
·
6 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
15
Turn left onto 65th Place
444 ft
·
16 sec
·
65th Place
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn slight left
423 ft
·
15 sec
18
Turn straight onto NY 25
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn slight right
216 ft
·
8 sec
20
Turn straight onto Queens Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
21
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
Grand Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.52 one way
$7.05 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.81 | $7.62 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.72 | $9.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 57% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.87 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (57% 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
Elmhurst, NY
Evening in Elmhurst on Friday
Local time
7:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
41m 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 Oakwood, NY to Elmhurst, NY covers 21.4 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Gowanus Expressway, Hylan Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.7 miles from Oakwood, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.52 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 13 decision points packed into just 21.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Hylan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.7 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Oakwood, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Brooklyn and Upper Level.
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.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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