Best Time to Drive from Washington Heights to Queens

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 19-mile drive from Washington Heights to Queens (via I-678 South and I-95 East) usually takes as little as 26 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 39 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Queens to Washington Heights

Freeway, about 17 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 6 to 16 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 Washington Heights to central Queens 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 Washington Heights to Queens 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	26	31	34	39	39	39	36	34	38	40	39	50	52	49	40	35	31
Tue	26	31	37	34	38	38	39	41	39	39	46	52	54	49	39	32	31
Wed	28	30	34	41	37	39	38	39	38	38	45	55	57	53	41	38	31
Thu	34	45	37	41	32	36	44	43	38	41	45	55	57	53	46	41	32
Fri	32	30	33	39	41	34	40	40	39	42	46	51	54	52	48	45	41
Sat	26	25	28	31	32	35	33	33	36	39	45	49	46	41	41	39	38
Sun	25	24	25	29	32	28	29	30	32	41	44	45	47	44	37	40	36

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 Washington Heights to Queens?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 26 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 19-mile drive usually takes 26 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 39 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Washington Heights to Queens?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Queens to Washington Heights (return trip) · Washington Heights to Brooklyn

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	31	34	39	39	39	36	34	38	40	39	50	52	49	40	35	31
Tue	26	31	37	34	38	38	39	41	39	39	46	52	54	49	39	32	31
Wed	28	30	34	41	37	39	38	39	38	38	45	55	57	53	41	38	31
Thu	34	45	37	41	32	36	44	43	38	41	45	55	57	53	46	41	32
Fri	32	30	33	39	41	34	40	40	39	42	46	51	54	52	48	45	41
Sat	26	25	28	31	32	35	33	33	36	39	45	49	46	41	41	39	38
Sun	25	24	25	29	32	28	29	30	32	41	44	45	47	44	37	40	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	31	34	39	39	39	36	34	38	40	39	50	52	49	40	35	31
Tue	26	31	37	34	38	38	39	41	39	39	46	52	54	49	39	32	31
Wed	28	30	34	41	37	39	38	39	38	38	45	55	57	53	41	38	31
Thu	34	45	37	41	32	36	44	43	38	41	45	55	57	53	46	41	32
Fri	32	30	33	39	41	34	40	40	39	42	46	51	54	52	48	45	41
Sat	26	25	28	31	32	35	33	33	36	39	45	49	46	41	41	39	38
Sun	25	24	25	29	32	28	29	30	32	41	44	45	47	44	37	40	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	31	34	39	39	39	36	34	38	40	39	50	52	49	40	35	31
Tue	26	31	37	34	38	38	39	41	39	39	46	52	54	49	39	32	31
Wed	28	30	34	41	37	39	38	39	38	38	45	55	57	53	41	38	31
Thu	34	45	37	41	32	36	44	43	38	41	45	55	57	53	46	41	32
Fri	32	30	33	39	41	34	40	40	39	42	46	51	54	52	48	45	41
Sat	26	25	28	31	32	35	33	33	36	39	45	49	46	41	41	39	38
Sun	25	24	25	29	32	28	29	30	32	41	44	45	47	44	37	40	36