Origin
Tonawanda, NY
Late night in Tonawanda on Saturday
Local time
2:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tonawanda, NY to Cheektowaga, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
13.5 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tonawanda, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Cheektowaga, NY
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Tonawanda, NY to Cheektowaga, NY covers 13.5 miles and takes about 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Youngmann Expressway, New York State Thruway, Twin Cities Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.3 miles on Youngmann Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cheektowaga, NY
Full guide →Founded 1839
Cheektowaga is a town of 89,877 (2020) in the Northtowns of Erie County, New York. It is a suburb east of Buffalo.
Top landmarks
- • Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex — Roman Catholic convent and school complex located at Cheektowaga in Erie County,...
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 22m. Total distance: 13.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Tonawanda, NY to Cheektowaga, NY covers 13.5 miles and takes about 22m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Youngmann Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.3 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 around 0.1 miles in near Broad Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 13.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (I 90 / New York State Thruway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Broad Street
Turn left onto Broad Street
Navigation decision point
8
8.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Erie
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 51-61
Toward I 90 West: Erie
5
9.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 90 / New York State Thruway
Merge onto I 90 / New York State Thruway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
12 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Walden Avenue East, Cheektowaga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 52E
Toward Walden Avenue East, Cheektowaga
6
13 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
NY 277 / Union Road
Turn right onto NY 277 / Union Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tonawanda, NY to Cheektowaga, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Walden Avenue East along the way.
Walden Avenue East
12 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Youngmann Expressway | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| New York State Thruway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Twin Cities Memorial Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Young Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Walden Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Union Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Seymour Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Youngmann Expressway
— 6.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tonawanda, NY and Cheektowaga, NY.
1
Start on NY 265
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Seymour Street
2
Turn left onto Broad Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Broad Street
3
Continue on Young Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Young Street
4
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
5
Turn straight onto NY 425
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Twin Cities Memorial Highway
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 290 East
7
Merge onto I 290
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Youngmann Expressway
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 51-61
Toward I 90 West: Erie
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 90
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 52E
Toward Walden Avenue East, Cheektowaga
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on Walden Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Walden Avenue
12
Turn right onto NY 277
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Union Road
Use the right lane.
13
Take the exit
440 ft
·
14 sec
14
Turn right
446 ft
·
32 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.22 one way
$4.44 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.40 | $4.81 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.62 | $5.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.98 | $5.96 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
New York State Thruway
(2.5 mi)
$0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Cheektowaga, NY
Late night in Cheektowaga on Saturday
Local time
2:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
22m 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 Tonawanda, NY to Cheektowaga, NY covers 13.5 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Youngmann Expressway, New York State Thruway, Twin Cities Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.7 miles from Tonawanda, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.22 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 13.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (I 90 / New York State Thruway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tonawanda, NY to Cheektowaga, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Walden Avenue East along the way.
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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