Origin
Closter, NJ
Late night in Closter on Tuesday
Local time
5:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Closter, NJ to Elizabeth, 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
45m
Distance
28.9 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Closter, NJ
Garrison Gao
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 28.9-mile drive from Closter to Elizabeth, New Jersey, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 45 minutes. The route primarily utilizes the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur and US 1, offering a mixed driving experience. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $6, this is a very budget-friendly excursion. Given its short distance and duration, it's perfectly suited as a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stops. You'll be traveling within the Northeast region for the entirety of this journey, making it a convenient local transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur | 9.8 mi | 13m |
| US 1 | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Washington Avenue | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Teaneck Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Schraalenburgh Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| High Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Degraw Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
— 9.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Closter, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Railroad Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Railroad Avenue
2
Continue on Naugle Street
521 ft
·
22 sec
·
Naugle Street
3
Continue on Closter Dock Road
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Closter Dock Road
4
Turn left onto West Street
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 502
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street
6
Turn straight onto CR 502
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Old Hook Road
7
Turn left onto CR 39
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Schraalenburgh Road
8
Continue on CR 39
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Washington Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on CR 39
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Teaneck Road
10
Turn left onto CR 56
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Degraw Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 95 South: The Ridgefields
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; NJTP
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
Toward I 95 South: Turnpike South, Exit 16W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
16
Merge onto I 95
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
17
Take the exit
1.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 14-14C
Toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Holland Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 14
Toward I 78 West, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport
19
Merge onto I 78
379 ft
·
4 sec
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway Tolls
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward US 1-9 South: Newark, Economy Parking, North Area
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 1-9 South, NJ 21, US 22: Newark
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork onto Executive Drive
460 ft
·
11 sec
·
Executive Drive
Toward US 1, US 9 South: Elizabeth
Use the slight left lane.
24
Merge onto US 1; US 9
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
US 1; US 9
25
Continue on US 1; US 9
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
27
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 9.6 and 24.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
9.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: The Ridgefields
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South: The Ridgefields
8
11.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 95; NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur toward I 95 South: Turnpike South, Exit 16W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South: Turnpike South, Exit 16W
8
22.1 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Holland Tunnel
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 14-14C
Toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Hollan...
8
24.4 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1-9 South, NJ 21, US 22: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1-9 South, NJ 21, US 22: Newark
8
24.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Executive Drive
Keep slight left at fork onto Executive Drive toward US 1, US 9 South: Elizabeth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 1, US 9 South: Elizabeth
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.79 one way
$9.58 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.25 | $10.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.60 | $11.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.38 | $12.76 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.64
New Jersey Turnpike
(11.6 mi)
$1.64
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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 Tuesday
Local time
5:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
13 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
45m 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 55% of it on highways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be about 9.8 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur, providing a chance to settle into a steady pace. The journey transitions between the faster pace of the Turnpike and the more varied conditions of US 1 and Washington Avenue. This blend means you'll experience both efficient highway travel and more typical urban and suburban road conditions as you progress toward Elizabeth.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.8 mi on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 around 9.6 miles in.
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 20 decision points packed into just 28.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles (I 95; NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Closter, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp South, Exit 16W, Economy Parking and Area.
Njtp South
9.3 mi in
|
~17m
Exit 16W
11.8 mi in
|
~20m
|
via I 95; NJTP
Economy Parking
24.3 mi in
|
~37m
Area
24.3 mi in
|
~37m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Overpeck Marine Park
Park
Early in the drive, right off the route
15min in
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
Windsor Park
Park
Early in the drive, right off the route
10min in
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
O'Brien Park
Park
Near the end, right off the route
45min in
0.6 mi from route
~1 min detour
Walker Park
Park
Near the end, right off the route
45min in
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
Original Overpeck County Park
Park
Early in the drive, right off the route
15min in
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
Argonne Park
Park
Early in the drive, right off the route
10min in
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
Bergen Museum of Art and Science
Museum
Early in the drive, short detour
15min in
2.2 mi from route
~6 min detour
NJ
Fort Lee Museum at the Judge Moore House
Museum
Early in the drive, short detour
15min in
2.4 mi from route
~6 min detour
NJ
Carrere Memorial
Memorial
Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour
20min in
3.5 mi from route
~9 min detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
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 45m. Total distance: 28.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.8 miles on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.64 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: at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles (I 95; NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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