Best Time to Drive from Harlem to Lower Manhattan

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 11-mile drive from Harlem to Lower Manhattan (via FDR Drive South and I-278 West) usually takes as little as 25 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Saturdays (59 minutes).

Freeway, about 6 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 18 to 50 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 Harlem (Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard) to central Lower Manhattan (Wall Street) 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 Harlem to Lower Manhattan 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	25	30	32	38	45	44	37	36	36	38	41	56	57	49	39	38	40
Tue	27	30	31	39	41	45	42	43	40	37	41	58	63	61	54	52	45
Wed	26	29	33	38	46	48	45	43	44	40	51	66	67	66	57	49	43
Thu	26	29	32	36	44	52	55	48	43	44	50	61	68	67	60	54	46
Fri	25	28	30	33	37	39	46	51	49	42	50	59	61	59	53	56	49
Sat	41	29	30	35	32	35	33	35	37	41	42	55	57	57	54	52	49
Sun	29	27	28	30	32	31	34	34	36	37	40	51	54	47	45	44	43

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 Harlem to Lower Manhattan?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am. The drive usually takes about 25 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Harlem to Lower Manhattan?

The 11-mile drive usually takes 25 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Harlem to Lower Manhattan?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Harlem to Downtown Brooklyn · Harlem to Bay Ridge · Harlem to Staten Island

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	30	32	38	45	44	37	36	36	38	41	56	57	49	39	38	40
Tue	27	30	31	39	41	45	42	43	40	37	41	58	63	61	54	52	45
Wed	26	29	33	38	46	48	45	43	44	40	51	66	67	66	57	49	43
Thu	26	29	32	36	44	52	55	48	43	44	50	61	68	67	60	54	46
Fri	25	28	30	33	37	39	46	51	49	42	50	59	61	59	53	56	49
Sat	41	29	30	35	32	35	33	35	37	41	42	55	57	57	54	52	49
Sun	29	27	28	30	32	31	34	34	36	37	40	51	54	47	45	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	30	32	38	45	44	37	36	36	38	41	56	57	49	39	38	40
Tue	27	30	31	39	41	45	42	43	40	37	41	58	63	61	54	52	45
Wed	26	29	33	38	46	48	45	43	44	40	51	66	67	66	57	49	43
Thu	26	29	32	36	44	52	55	48	43	44	50	61	68	67	60	54	46
Fri	25	28	30	33	37	39	46	51	49	42	50	59	61	59	53	56	49
Sat	41	29	30	35	32	35	33	35	37	41	42	55	57	57	54	52	49
Sun	29	27	28	30	32	31	34	34	36	37	40	51	54	47	45	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	30	32	38	45	44	37	36	36	38	41	56	57	49	39	38	40
Tue	27	30	31	39	41	45	42	43	40	37	41	58	63	61	54	52	45
Wed	26	29	33	38	46	48	45	43	44	40	51	66	67	66	57	49	43
Thu	26	29	32	36	44	52	55	48	43	44	50	61	68	67	60	54	46
Fri	25	28	30	33	37	39	46	51	49	42	50	59	61	59	53	56	49
Sat	41	29	30	35	32	35	33	35	37	41	42	55	57	57	54	52	49
Sun	29	27	28	30	32	31	34	34	36	37	40	51	54	47	45	44	43