Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Morning in Elizabeth on Saturday
Local time
6:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Berkeley Heights, 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
28m
Distance
18.2 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Berkeley Heights, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Berkeley Heights, NJ covers 18.2 miles and takes about 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, Plainfield Avenue, North Broad Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.4 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 11.4 mi | 13m |
| Plainfield Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| North Broad Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Grand Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Drift Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
— 11.4 mi, about 13m
Traffic on I-78
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,598 veh/hr typical · worst 4,220
Quietest
2 AM
~240 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 48 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 Elizabeth, NJ and Berkeley Heights, NJ.
1
Start on this road
34 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Jersey Street
3
Turn right onto Jefferson Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Jefferson Avenue
4
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Grand Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
6
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 27
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
7
Turn left onto CR 628
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto CR 509
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Chestnut Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto Paine Avenue
367 ft
·
12 sec
·
Paine Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 78 West
11
Merge onto I 78
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 78
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
I 78
Toward I 78 West: Clinton
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 78
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 41
Toward Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Drift Road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Drift Road
16
Turn left onto CR 641
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Plainfield Avenue
17
Turn right onto CR 512
20 ft
·
0 sec
·
Springfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
CR 512
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.2 — 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
|
East Jersey Street
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Grand Street
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
9.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 78
Keep slight left at fork onto I 78 toward I 78 West: Clinton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 78 West: Clinton
8
16.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 41
Toward Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains
6
18.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
CR 512 / Springfield Avenue
Turn right onto CR 512 / Springfield Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.13 one way
$6.26 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $3.43 | $6.86 |
| premium | $5.13 | $3.67 | $7.35 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $4.28 | $8.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.91 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.59 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Berkeley Heights, NJ
Morning in Berkeley Heights on Saturday
Local time
6:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
20 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
28m 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?
18.2 mi in 28m, mostly highway — 11.4 mi of that is on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.4 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and Plainfield Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Jersey Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 18.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Jersey Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 9.3 miles (I 78): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
396 ft
19 ft
Total Climb
512 ft
Total Descent
305 ft
Highest Point
396 ft
~16.9 mi in
Elevation Range
377 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.
On the drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Berkeley Heights, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Scotch Plains along the way.
Scotch Plains
16.2 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Starting in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1665
Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
Top landmarks
- • Newark Liberty International Airport — international airport in Newark, New Jersey
- • Elizabeth station — historic former railroad station in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- • Belcher–Ogden Mansion; Benjamin Price House; and Price–Brittan House Historic District — historic district in Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States
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 28m. Total distance: 18.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.4 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Berkeley Heights, 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 (East Jersey Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 9.3 miles (I 78): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls 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 Berkeley Heights, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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