Blackwood to Union City is 93.7 miles and takes about 1h 58m via New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically in New Jersey, making it a straightforward, same-day journey. You'll be on major highways for most of the drive, so expect a high-speed transit rather than a leisurely tour. Given the relatively short duration and highway focus, this route is ideal for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.8 miles from Blackwood, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New Jersey Turnpike
79.5 mi
1h 33m
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
6.2 mi
8m
Black Horse Pike
4.1 mi
7m
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
0.8 mi
1m
NJ 495
0.5 mi
<1m
30th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East Church Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 79.5 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blackwood, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on North Pennsylvania Avenue
57 ft·4 sec·North Pennsylvania Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 534
0.2 mi·16 sec·East Church Street
3
Turn right onto NJ 168
4.1 mi·7 min·Black Horse Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward NJTP North: New YorkUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto NJTP
23 mi·26 min·New Jersey Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
56 mi·1 hr 6 min·New Jersey Turnpike
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
6.2 mi·8 min·New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Exit 16EToward NJ 495 East: Lincoln TunnelUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi·37 sec·NJ 495
11
Take the exit
263 ft·6 sec
Toward Kennedy BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
12
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi·31 sec·30th Street
13
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft·16 sec·John F Kennedy Boulevard
14
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi·1 min·John F. Kennedy Boulevard
15
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi·28 sec·47th Street
16
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi·21 sec·Bergenline Avenue
17
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft·2 sec·45th Street
18
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short, 1h 58m drive, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving mid-morning can help you avoid the worst of any potential commuter traffic. The majority of the drive is on the New Jersey Turnpike, so keep an eye out for toll plazas and ensure you have your payment method ready. With a fuel cost estimated at $16, you should be able to complete the 93.7-mile journey without needing a dedicated fuel stop, though there are plenty of service areas along the Turnpike if needed.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 46.8 miles from Blackwood, NJ, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 21 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.8 miles or 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Union City, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Blackwood, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Blackwood, NJ
This is one driving day of about 93.7 miles and 1h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Blackwood, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on New Jersey Turnpike for about 79.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 92.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.5 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJTP North: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NJTP North: New York
6
28.2 mi into trip|~36m in|NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
84.6 mi into trip|~1h 43m in|NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
90.8 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
6
92.3 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Take the exit toward Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.53 one way
$31.07 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$17.01
$34.03
premium
$4.93
$18.17
$36.34
diesel
$5.61
$20.69
$41.38
Estimated Tolls: $12.00
New Jersey Turnpike
(85.7 mi)$12.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Tolls
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.1
0
$9.84
$4.50
Efficient EV
23.4
0
$8.20
$3.75
EV Truck/SUV
37.5
0
$13.12
$6.00
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (67% 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
Blackwood, NJ
Morning
in Blackwood on Sunday
Local time
8:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Union City, NJ
Morning
in Union City on Sunday
Local time
8:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
E 3 to 9 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
9 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
1h 58m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 90.4
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
15 mi from route
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 80.8
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 77.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 92% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend the majority of your time on the New Jersey Turnpike and its Eastern Spur, experiencing a consistent, high-speed environment. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 79.5 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike, meaning you can settle in for a solid period of driving without significant changes in road type. Expect a direct and efficient travel experience, as the route prioritizes speed and ease of navigation over scenic detours.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 79.5 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 93.7 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.2 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.6 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey.
Union City is a small city, roughly 1.283 square miles. It is bordered by Weehawken to the east, Jersey City to the south, North Bergen to the west and north, and West New York to the north.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 93.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 79.5 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $12.00 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. 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 City, 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 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.2 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.6 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 City, NJ before heading back.
