Origin
Budd Lake, NJ
Morning in Budd Lake on Saturday
Local time
6:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Budd Lake, NJ to Jersey City, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
42 mi
68 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Budd Lake, NJ
David Kanigan
Jersey City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Budd Lake, NJ to Jersey City, NJ is 42 miles and takes about 56 minutes via I 80 East and I 280 East, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, making it a straightforward trip that doesn't require extensive planning. It's a short distance, perfect for a quick commute or an easy leg of a larger journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 19.1 mi | 22m |
| Essex Freeway | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| US 46 | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Ferry Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Market Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| McCarter Highway | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Raymond Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 19.1 mi, about 22m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 150 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~5,015 veh/hr typical · worst 5,922
Quietest
1 AM
~456 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Budd Lake, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
1
Start on CR 667
114 ft
·
4 sec
·
Mount Olive Road
2
Turn right onto US 46
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on US 46
500 ft
·
9 sec
·
US 46
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 80 East: New York City, Denville
5
Merge onto I 80; US 206
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 47A
Toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
7
Continue on I 280
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Essex Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 15
Toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Center
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto McCarter Highway
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
McCarter Highway
Use the left / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Raymond Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Raymond Boulevard
Use the left lane.
11
Turn straight onto Market Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Market Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on Ferry Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ferry Street
13
Continue on Raymond Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Raymond Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olean Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Olean Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Budd Lake, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 46
Turn right onto US 46
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
21.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 47A
Toward I 280 East: The Oranges, Newark
8
35.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Center
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 15
Toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Ce...
6
35.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
McCarter Highway
Turn right onto McCarter Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
7
40.9 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.22 one way
$14.44 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $7.92 | $15.84 |
| premium | $5.13 | $8.48 | $16.96 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $9.87 | $19.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Jersey City, NJ
Morning in Jersey City on Saturday
Local time
6:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Montville, NJ
21 mi in
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
19 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
56m 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 route is mostly surface roads, with no highway driving. You'll spend the full 42 miles navigating through local streets. The drive will likely involve frequent stops and starts due to numerous intersections and traffic lights. Expect to merge with local traffic regularly as you make your way across the terrain.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.1 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
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 early in the drive near US 46.
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 11 decision points packed into just 42 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 46): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,059 ft
10 ft
Total Climb
513 ft
Total Descent
1,433 ft
Highest Point
1,059 ft
~3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,050 ft
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 Budd Lake, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward Newark, Belleville and Prudential Center.
Newark
21.4 mi in
|
~25m
Belleville
35.7 mi in
|
~43m
Prudential Center
35.7 mi in
|
~43m
About the Cities
Starting in Budd Lake, NJ
Full guide →Arriving in Jersey City, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1609
Jersey City is New Jersey's second-largest city. Jersey City sits in Hudson County in the northeastern section of the state, across the Hudson from its older and bigger cousin, New York City, and south of Hoboken. It is frequently referred to as New York’s “sixth borough”. Until the early 1600s, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. The Dutch then settled here as a part of the colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into an industrial powerhouse, with railroads winding up and down the city (some of these lines are still used today). Although Jersey City declined in the 1960s, an upswing began in the 1980s, and the city was transformed into what it is today.
Top landmarks
- • Holland Tunnel — road tunnel between Manhattan, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey in the Unite...
- • Statue of Liberty National Monument — United States national monument
- • Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal — former railroad terminal in Jersey City, 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 56m. Total distance: 42 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.1 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Jersey 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: near the start (US 46): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jersey City, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Explore more options from Budd Lake, NJ or browse trips ending in Jersey City, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.