Origin
Carteret, NJ
Late night in Carteret on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carteret, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
7.9 mi
13 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carteret, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 7.9-mile drive from Carteret, NJ, to Elizabeth, NJ, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 16 minutes. Primarily utilizing the New Jersey Turnpike and US 1, with a section on Washington Avenue, this route offers a practical connection within the Northeast region. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $1, it's an economical journey. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of highway and local road experiences. Given its brevity, no overnight split is necessary, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| US 1 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Bayway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Roosevelt Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Broad Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Industrial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 2.5 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carteret, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Carteret Avenue
194 ft
·
10 sec
·
Carteret Avenue
2
Turn left onto Linden Street
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
Linden Street
3
Turn left onto CR 604
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue
4
Continue on CR 602
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Roosevelt Avenue
5
Turn right onto Industrial Highway
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Industrial Highway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
211 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
9
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
10
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13
Toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 278 West, NJ 439: Elizabeth, Linden
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
Toward NJ 439: Elizabeth
13
Continue on NJ 439
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Bayway
14
Turn right onto CR 623
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Broad Street
15
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1; US 9
16
Turn right
60 ft
·
6 sec
17
Turn right
383 ft
·
28 sec
18
Turn right
278 ft
·
22 sec
19
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Jersey Street
20
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 4.4 — 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
|
Linden Street
Turn left onto Linden Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Industrial Highway
Turn right onto Industrial Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
9
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpik...
9
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North
8
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
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 13
Toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.31 one way
$2.62 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.43 | $2.87 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.53 | $3.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.74 | $3.49 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.35
New Jersey Turnpike
(2.5 mi)
$0.35
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.83 | $0.38 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.69 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
22 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
16m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 44% of it being highway driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.5 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike, offering a chance to maintain a steady pace. As you transition from the Turnpike to US 1 and then Washington Avenue, the road character will likely shift, potentially introducing more local traffic and varied speed limits. This journey isn't a monotonous interstate cruise but rather a dynamic commute through New Jersey's bustling landscape.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.5 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 Linden Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 7.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Linden Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Industrial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Carteret, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike, Njtp North, Staten Island and Linden.
Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
1.2 mi in
|
~3m
Njtp North
1.5 mi in
|
~4m
Staten Island
4.4 mi in
|
~8m
Linden
5.3 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 16m. Total distance: 7.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.5 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.35 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 Elizabeth, 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 (Linden Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Industrial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: 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 Elizabeth, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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