Best Time to Drive from Brooklyn to Washington Heights

None of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 18-mile drive from Brooklyn to Washington Heights (via I-478 West) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 107 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 64 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (74 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Washington Heights to Brooklyn

Freeway, about 11 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 6 miles: 18 to 49 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Brooklyn to central Washington Heights along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Brooklyn to Washington Heights by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	44	50	74	67	60	58	56	57	58	62	66	76	79	53	42	44
Tue	34	43	54	82	75	64	65	67	63	60	60	73	105	99	63	45	51
Wed	33	41	56	73	77	64	61	67	61	62	67	70	92	84	61	48	48
Thu	33	43	56	72	87	69	75	70	64	65	71	92	105	99	68	54	54
Fri	31	42	52	60	60	58	66	66	67	80	103	105	105	97	73	64	51
Sat	35	41	45	47	51	57	70	71	73	74	70	68	71	68	61	59	59
Sun	30	29	36	35	41	47	51	57	61	66	62	62	63	59	56	54	54

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Brooklyn to Washington Heights?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 107 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Brooklyn to Washington Heights?

The 18-mile drive usually takes 31 to 107 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 64 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Brooklyn to Washington Heights?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 107 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Washington Heights to Brooklyn (return trip) · Brooklyn to Staten Island · Brooklyn to Newark · Brooklyn to Jersey City · Brooklyn to Yonkers · Brooklyn to Astoria · Brooklyn to Elizabeth · Brooklyn to Harlem · Brooklyn to East Harlem · Brooklyn to Elmhurst · Brooklyn to Corona · Brooklyn to Fordham

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	44	50	74	67	60	58	56	57	58	62	66	76	79	53	42	44
Tue	34	43	54	82	75	64	65	67	63	60	60	73	105	99	63	45	51
Wed	33	41	56	73	77	64	61	67	61	62	67	70	92	84	61	48	48
Thu	33	43	56	72	87	69	75	70	64	65	71	92	105	99	68	54	54
Fri	31	42	52	60	60	58	66	66	67	80	103	105	105	97	73	64	51
Sat	35	41	45	47	51	57	70	71	73	74	70	68	71	68	61	59	59
Sun	30	29	36	35	41	47	51	57	61	66	62	62	63	59	56	54	54

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	44	50	74	67	60	58	56	57	58	62	66	76	79	53	42	44
Tue	34	43	54	82	75	64	65	67	63	60	60	73	105	99	63	45	51
Wed	33	41	56	73	77	64	61	67	61	62	67	70	92	84	61	48	48
Thu	33	43	56	72	87	69	75	70	64	65	71	92	105	99	68	54	54
Fri	31	42	52	60	60	58	66	66	67	80	103	105	105	97	73	64	51
Sat	35	41	45	47	51	57	70	71	73	74	70	68	71	68	61	59	59
Sun	30	29	36	35	41	47	51	57	61	66	62	62	63	59	56	54	54

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	44	50	74	67	60	58	56	57	58	62	66	76	79	53	42	44
Tue	34	43	54	82	75	64	65	67	63	60	60	73	105	99	63	45	51
Wed	33	41	56	73	77	64	61	67	61	62	67	70	92	84	61	48	48
Thu	33	43	56	72	87	69	75	70	64	65	71	92	105	99	68	54	54
Fri	31	42	52	60	60	58	66	66	67	80	103	105	105	97	73	64	51
Sat	35	41	45	47	51	57	70	71	73	74	70	68	71	68	61	59	59
Sun	30	29	36	35	41	47	51	57	61	66	62	62	63	59	56	54	54