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Trip from Clifton, NJ to Secaucus, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

13m

Distance

9 mi

15 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 13m ★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 14m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m ★

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

Best Time
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city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Clifton, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Secaucus, NJ, NJ

Secaucus, NJ

Dajana Blakcori

Trip Overview

Clifton, NJ to Secaucus, NJ is 9 miles and takes about 13 minutes via State Route 3, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion or as part of a larger travel plan. You'll primarily be on a major highway, making it a straightforward and efficient transit between these two locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
State Route 3 6.4 mi 7m
Allwood Road 1 mi 1m
Clifton Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Bloomfield Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
NJ 3 0.2 mi <1m
Plaza Center 0.2 mi <1m
Donna Drive 0.1 mi <1m
Olga B Terrace 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: State Route 3 — 6.4 mi, about 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Holly Street

516 ft · 26 sec · Holly Street
2

Turn left onto Donna Drive

0.1 mi · 34 sec · Donna Drive
3

At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace

441 ft · 21 sec · Olga B Terrace
4

Turn right onto Hutton Road

39 ft · 7 sec · Hutton Road
5

Turn left onto Olga B Terrace

174 ft · 13 sec · Olga B Terrace
6

Turn left onto NJ 161

0.5 mi · 1 min · Clifton Avenue
7

At end of road, turn left onto CR 602

1.0 mi · 1 min · Allwood Road
Use the left lane.
8

Enter roundabout onto CR 622

65 ft · 1 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
9

Continue on CR 622

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
10

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Use the left lane.
11

Merge onto NJ 3

6.4 mi · 7 min · State Route 3
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Take the exit onto NJ 3

0.2 mi · 18 sec · NJ 3
Toward NJTP South, I 95 South: Secaucus Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn right onto Plaza Center

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Plaza Center
14

Turn left onto Paterson Plank Road

400 ft · 13 sec · Paterson Plank Road
15

Turn left onto Wilson Avenue

57 ft · 2 sec · Wilson Avenue
16

Arrive at destination

Wilson Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 8.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Olga B Terrace

At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Olga B Terrace

Turn left onto Olga B Terrace

Navigation decision point

7
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | CR 602 / Allwood Road

At end of road, turn left onto CR 602 / Allwood Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.1 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the ramp

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
8.6 mi into trip | ~12m in | NJ 3

Take the exit onto NJ 3 toward NJTP South, I 95 South: Secaucus

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward NJTP South, I 95 South: Secaucus

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.55 one way

$3.09 round trip

$4.37/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.79 $1.70 $3.39
premium $5.13 $1.82 $3.63
diesel $5.97 $2.11 $4.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.7 0 $0.95 $0.43
Efficient EV 2.3 0 $0.79 $0.36
EV Truck/SUV 3.6 0 $1.26 $0.58

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.

Forecast as of Sep 3, 2026

Origin

Clifton, NJ

Morning in Clifton on Saturday

Local time

7:24 AM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

S 2 mph 99% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued September 3 at 1:34AM EDT until September 3 at 5:30AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 1:26AM EDT until September 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Secaucus, NJ

Morning in Secaucus on Saturday

Local time

7:24 AM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 3 mph 99% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued September 3 at 1:34AM EDT until September 3 at 5:30AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 1:26AM EDT until September 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

13m 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 route is mostly highway, with 73% of the drive on freeways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 6.4 miles on State Route 3. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate this segment, typical for a heavily trafficked state route. The transition from highway to surface roads will occur as you approach your destination.

73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.4 mi on State Route 3.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Route 3 and Allwood Road. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Olga B Terrace.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Olga B Terrace): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

207 ft 8 ft

Total Climb

106 ft

Total Descent

270 ft

Highest Point

207 ft

~1.3 mi in

Elevation Range

199 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Clifton, NJ

Full guide →

Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.

Top landmarks

  • • United States Animal Quarantine Station — historic building complex in Clifton, New Jersey
  • • Garritse-Doremus-Westervelt House — historic farmhouse in Clifton, New Jersey

Arriving in Secaucus, NJ

Full guide →

Founded 1900

Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City.

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 13m. Total distance: 9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 6.4 miles on State Route 3. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Olga B Terrace): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 Secaucus, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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