Best Time to Drive from Jamaica to Midtown 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 14-mile drive from Jamaica to Midtown Manhattan (via I-495 West and I-678 North) usually takes as little as 25 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 71 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (83 minutes).

Freeway, about 10 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 12 to 41 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 Jamaica (169th Street) to central Midtown Manhattan (6th Avenue) 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 Jamaica to Midtown 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	38	65	78	66	55	63	63	65	83	82	77	80	72	58	44	38
Tue	37	51	85	100	87	82	76	68	75	75	81	83	77	68	60	59	44
Wed	34	62	74	82	79	72	65	71	77	70	80	84	82	73	59	53	42
Thu	37	53	67	84	85	77	67	65	63	70	74	82	76	70	59	57	42
Fri	31	59	71	88	81	69	80	68	74	83	88	87	82	78	73	59	52
Sat	42	30	31	41	41	43	47	42	52	66	62	73	83	68	74	63	63
Sun	67	42	29	29	29	32	34	38	47	50	59	72	73	82	67	68	62

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 Jamaica to Midtown Manhattan?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 25 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Jamaica to Midtown Manhattan?

The 14-mile drive usually takes 25 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 71 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Jamaica to Midtown Manhattan?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Jamaica 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	25	38	65	78	66	55	63	63	65	83	82	77	80	72	58	44	38
Tue	37	51	85	100	87	82	76	68	75	75	81	83	77	68	60	59	44
Wed	34	62	74	82	79	72	65	71	77	70	80	84	82	73	59	53	42
Thu	37	53	67	84	85	77	67	65	63	70	74	82	76	70	59	57	42
Fri	31	59	71	88	81	69	80	68	74	83	88	87	82	78	73	59	52
Sat	42	30	31	41	41	43	47	42	52	66	62	73	83	68	74	63	63
Sun	67	42	29	29	29	32	34	38	47	50	59	72	73	82	67	68	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	38	65	78	66	55	63	63	65	83	82	77	80	72	58	44	38
Tue	37	51	85	100	87	82	76	68	75	75	81	83	77	68	60	59	44
Wed	34	62	74	82	79	72	65	71	77	70	80	84	82	73	59	53	42
Thu	37	53	67	84	85	77	67	65	63	70	74	82	76	70	59	57	42
Fri	31	59	71	88	81	69	80	68	74	83	88	87	82	78	73	59	52
Sat	42	30	31	41	41	43	47	42	52	66	62	73	83	68	74	63	63
Sun	67	42	29	29	29	32	34	38	47	50	59	72	73	82	67	68	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	38	65	78	66	55	63	63	65	83	82	77	80	72	58	44	38
Tue	37	51	85	100	87	82	76	68	75	75	81	83	77	68	60	59	44
Wed	34	62	74	82	79	72	65	71	77	70	80	84	82	73	59	53	42
Thu	37	53	67	84	85	77	67	65	63	70	74	82	76	70	59	57	42
Fri	31	59	71	88	81	69	80	68	74	83	88	87	82	78	73	59	52
Sat	42	30	31	41	41	43	47	42	52	66	62	73	83	68	74	63	63
Sun	67	42	29	29	29	32	34	38	47	50	59	72	73	82	67	68	62