Skip to main content

Trip from Bergenfield, NJ to Clifton, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

22m

Distance

14.6 mi

24 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Fair

2 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 21m ★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Bergenfield, NJ, NJ

Bergenfield, NJ

Thomas Parker

city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Clifton, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Bergenfield to Clifton is 14.6 miles and takes about 22 minutes via US 46, NJ 4, and the Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically New Jersey, so you won't be crossing state lines. It's a straightforward drive that’s more about getting from point A to point B efficiently than a scenic journey. Consider this route for a quick, local commute or a brief errand that requires navigating a bit of highway.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 46 3.3 mi 3m
NJ 4 2.7 mi 3m
Garden State Parkway 2.3 mi 3m
New Bridge Road 1.7 mi 2m
South Washington Avenue 1 mi 1m
Van Houten Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
NJ 19 0.4 mi <1m
Paramus Road 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 46 — 3.3 mi, about 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bergenfield, NJ and Clifton, NJ.

1

Start on Portland Avenue

93 ft · 5 sec · Portland Avenue
2

Turn right onto CR 70

371 ft · 11 sec · West Main Street
3

Turn right onto CR 39

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Washington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Turn right onto CR 49

1.1 mi · 1 min · New Bridge Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Continue on CR 49

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Roemer Avenue
6

Continue on CR 49

0.5 mi · 48 sec · New Bridge Road
7

Turn straight

244 ft · 9 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Turn straight onto CR 503

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Main Street
9

At end of road, turn right

405 ft · 11 sec
10

Take the ramp

292 ft · 8 sec
Toward NJ 4 West
11

Merge onto NJ 4

2.7 mi · 3 min · NJ 4
Use the right lane.
12

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward Paramus Road South Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Turn straight onto CR 62

0.4 mi · 44 sec · Paramus Road
14

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward GSP Toll South Use the right lane.
15

Merge onto GSP

2.3 mi · 3 min · Garden State Parkway
16

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 56 sec
Exit 157 Toward US 46 West: Garfield Use the slight right lane.
17

Merge onto US 46

1.1 mi · 1 min · US 46
Use the slight right lane.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto US 46

2.1 mi · 2 min · US 46
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Merge onto NJ 19; CR 509

0.4 mi · 41 sec · NJ 19; CR 509
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Turn left onto CR 614

0.5 mi · 53 sec · Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
22

Turn right onto NJ 161

0.3 mi · 46 sec · Clifton Avenue
23

Turn left onto St James Place

0.1 mi · 31 sec · St James Place
24

Turn right onto Donna Drive

522 ft · 28 sec · Donna Drive
25

Turn left onto Holly Street

516 ft · 22 sec · Holly Street
26

Arrive at destination

Holly Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 12.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 39 / South Washington Avenue

Turn right onto CR 39 / South Washington Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.1 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 49 / New Bridge Road

Turn right onto CR 49 / New Bridge Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
6.2 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward Paramus Road South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward Paramus Road South
7
9.2 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward US 46 West: Garfield

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 157 Toward US 46 West: Garfield
7
12.8 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.42 one way

$4.84 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.65 $5.30
premium $4.93 $2.83 $5.66
diesel $5.61 $3.22 $6.45

Estimated Tolls: $0.14

Garden State Parkway (2.3 mi) $0.14

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

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.4 0 $1.53 $0.70
Efficient EV 3.7 0 $1.28 $0.58
EV Truck/SUV 5.8 0 $2.04 $0.93

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Bergenfield, NJ

Morning in Bergenfield on Sunday

Local time

6:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Clifton, NJ

Morning in Clifton on Sunday

Local time

6:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Scattered Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy

E 2 to 9 mph 31% chance 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

10 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

22m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive features a mixed profile, with 59% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches on major roads like US 46, NJ 4, and the Garden State Parkway, offering a taste of faster travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is about 3.3 miles on US 46. The road character likely shifts between more urban driving and quicker highway segments, so be prepared for varying traffic conditions and speed limits throughout the 22-minute journey.

59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.3 mi on US 46.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 0.1 miles in near CR 39 / South Washington Avenue.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 20 decision points packed into just 14.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CR 39 / South Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (CR 49 / New Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Between Bergenfield, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Paramus Road South and Gsp Toll South.

Paramus Road South

6.2 mi in | ~9m

Gsp Toll South

6.7 mi in | ~10m

About the Cities

Arriving in Clifton, NJ

Full guide →

Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 14.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). 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 3.3 miles on US 46. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.14 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 Clifton, 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 0.1 miles (CR 39 / South Washington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (CR 49 / New Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Clifton, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Bergenfield, NJ or browse trips ending in Clifton, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.