Origin
Avenel, NJ
Morning in Avenel on Tuesday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Avenel, NJ to Union, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
10.3 mi
17 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Avenel, NJ
Garrison Gao
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Trip Overview
Avenel, NJ to Union, NJ is 10.3 miles and takes about 20m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Northeast region and the state of New Jersey, making it a straightforward local journey. It's a quick drive, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a major time commitment. Consider this route if you're looking for efficiency and simplicity for a common commute or a quick errand.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Saint Georges Avenue | 3.4 mi | 7m |
| Stiles Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Morris Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Avenel Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Stiles Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Harding Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Centennial Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 3.5 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Avenel, NJ and Union, NJ.
1
Start on CR 650
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Avenel Street
2
Turn right onto NJ 35
3.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Georges Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto CR 615
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
North Stiles Street
4
Turn right onto CR 615
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Stiles Street
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on CR 615
367 ft
·
9 sec
·
Centennial Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto GSP
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto US 22
158 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 22
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
11
Turn slight right onto NJ 82
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Morris Avenue
12
Turn slight right
507 ft
·
44 sec
13
Turn left onto NJ 82
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Morris Avenue
14
Turn right onto Harding Avenue
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Harding Avenue
15
Turn right onto CR 630
32 ft
·
4 sec
·
Vauxhall Road
16
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
10 sec
·
Harding Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Harding Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 9.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
NJ 35 / Saint Georges Avenue
Turn right onto NJ 35 / Saint Georges Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
5.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward GSP Toll North
5
5.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, E...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.71 one way
$3.42 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.87 | $3.74 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.00 | $4.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.27 | $4.55 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.21
Garden State Parkway
(3.5 mi)
$0.21
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: 3.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.90 | $0.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Union, NJ
Morning in Union on Tuesday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
20m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a mixed bag, with about 35% of the journey on highways. You'll experience around 3.5 miles as the longest continuous stretch on the Garden State Parkway. Expect a blend of faster highway driving interspersed with more local road navigation as you approach your destination. The character shifts from open road to more urban or suburban conditions, requiring attention to changing speed limits and traffic patterns.
35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.5 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 0.5 miles in near NJ 35 / Saint Georges Avenue.
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 12 decision points packed into just 10.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (NJ 35 / Saint Georges Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Avenel, NJ and Union, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Kean University and Elizabeth.
Gsp Toll North
5.2 mi in
|
~11m
Kean University
9.3 mi in
|
~17m
Elizabeth
9.3 mi in
|
~17m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 10.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.5 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.21 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Union, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (NJ 35 / Saint Georges Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Union, NJ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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