Origin
Chatham, NJ
Morning in Chatham on Tuesday
Local time
6:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chatham, NJ to Passaic, 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
31m
Distance
21.3 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chatham, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Passaic, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 21.3-mile drive from Chatham to Passaic, NJ, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 31 minutes, making it ideal for a single-day excursion. Primarily utilizing the Garden State Parkway and Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, with a segment on NJ 24, this route offers a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, it's an economical choice for a short journey within the Northeast region. You'll find this drive efficient for connecting these two New Jersey locales without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| NJ 24 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Bloomfield Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Broadway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| West Passaic Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Passaic Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 8.9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chatham, NJ and Passaic, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 124
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 124
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NJ 24 East
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Merge onto NJ 24
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 24
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 78
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 52
Toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP North Toll
10
Merge onto GSP
8.9 mi
·
12 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto CR 655
483 ft
·
15 sec
·
Watchung Avenue
13
At end of road, turn left onto CR 652
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Passaic Avenue
14
Turn right onto CR 622
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Passaic Avenue
15
Turn left onto CR 622
411 ft
·
7 sec
·
Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on CR 622
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Enter roundabout onto CR 622
173 ft
·
3 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
18
Continue on CR 622
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
19
Continue on CR 622
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
20
Continue on CR 622
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
21
Continue on CR 622
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
22
Turn right onto CR 618
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Paulison Avenue
23
Turn left onto Passaic Avenue
95 ft
·
2 sec
·
Passaic Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
Passaic Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 17.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 124
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 24 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward NJ 24 East
7
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
7
7.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 52
Toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
8
17.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Montclair, Nutley
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 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.53 one way
$7.06 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.87 | $7.74 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.13 | $8.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.70 | $9.41 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.53
Garden State Parkway
(8.9 mi)
$0.53
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Passaic, NJ
Morning in Passaic on Tuesday
Local time
6:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
17 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
31m 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 highway-focused drive for most of this 21.3-mile journey, with approximately 70% of the route being on high-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.9 miles along the Garden State Parkway. This means you'll experience a consistent pace for a significant portion of your travel time, with opportunities to maintain speed. The transition between the Garden State Parkway, Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, and NJ 24 is designed for efficient travel, keeping the drive largely on expressways.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near NJ 124.
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 16 decision points packed into just 21.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (NJ 124): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Chatham, NJ and Passaic, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Newark, Gsp North Toll, Montclair and Nutley.
New York City
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Newark
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Gsp North Toll
7.9 mi in
|
~11m
Montclair
17.4 mi in
|
~25m
Nutley
17.4 mi in
|
~25m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 21.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.53 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 Passaic, 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 0.8 miles (NJ 124): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls 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 Passaic, 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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