Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Cliffside Park, NJ

Pin this trip

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

Drive Time

29m

Distance

18.2 mi

29 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 27m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m

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

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Elizabeth, NJ, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Cliffside Park, NJ, NJ

Cliffside Park, NJ

Malcolm Garret

Trip Overview

The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Cliffside Park, NJ covers 18.2 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 1 EXPR, Pulaski Skyway, US 1 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.8 miles on US 1 EXPR. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.13 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 1 EXPR 5.8 mi 8m
Pulaski Skyway 3.2 mi 5m
US 1 2.8 mi 3m
Tonnelle Avenue 2.6 mi 4m
Spring Street 1.1 mi 1m
Anderson Avenue 1 mi 1m
John F. Kennedy Boulevard 0.9 mi 2m
76th Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 1 EXPR — 5.8 mi, about 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Cliffside Park, NJ.

1

Start on this road

34 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto East Jersey Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · East Jersey Street
3

Turn left onto US 1; US 9

1.1 mi · 1 min · Spring Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

5.8 mi · 8 min · US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight lane.
5

Merge onto US 1; US 9

3.2 mi · 5 min · Pulaski Skyway
6

Take the exit onto US 1; US 9

2.8 mi · 3 min · US 1; US 9
Toward US 1-9 North: Jersey City, Lincoln Tunnel Use the slight right lane.
7

Continue on US 1; US 9

2.6 mi · 4 min · Tonnelle Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Turn right onto 76th Street

0.3 mi · 59 sec · 76th Street
9

Turn left onto CR 501

0.6 mi · 1 min · John F. Kennedy Boulevard
10

Continue on CR 501

0.4 mi · 50 sec · John F. Kennedy Boulevard
11

Turn left onto Bergenline Avenue

226 ft · 4 sec · Bergenline Avenue
Use the left lane.
12

Continue on CR 29

1.0 mi · 1 min · Anderson Avenue
13

Turn right onto CR 50

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Edgewater Road
14

Turn left onto CR 27

526 ft · 12 sec · Palisade Avenue
15

Arrive at destination

CR 27

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Jersey Street

Turn left onto East Jersey Street

Navigation decision point

6
1.3 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
10.4 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 1; US 9

Take the exit onto US 1; US 9 toward US 1-9 North: Jersey City, Lincoln 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. Toward US 1-9 North: Jersey City, Lincoln Tunne...
6
17 mi into trip | ~26m in | Bergenline Avenue

Turn left onto Bergenline Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
18.1 mi into trip | ~28m in | CR 27 / Palisade Avenue

Turn left onto CR 27 / Palisade Avenue

Navigation decision point

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

Estimated Tolls: $0.22

Pulaski Skyway (3.2 mi) $0.22

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Tolls

$0

Total

$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.

Forecast as of Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Elizabeth, NJ

Morning in Elizabeth on Saturday

Local time

6:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

86°F

Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

W 6 mph 83% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:30AM EDT until September 1 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Cliffside Park, NJ

Morning in Cliffside Park on Saturday

Local time

6:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 6 mph 88% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:30AM EDT until September 1 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

2 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

29m 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?

18.2 mi in 29m — 47% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: US 1 EXPR.

47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.8 mi on US 1 EXPR.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Jersey Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 18.2 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (East Jersey Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (US 1; US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

245 ft -4 ft

Total Climb

311 ft

Total Descent

85 ft

Highest Point

245 ft

~18.2 mi in

Elevation Range

249 ft

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 29m. Total distance: 18.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

29m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). 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 5.8 miles on US 1 EXPR. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.22 in tolls one way, starting with Pulaski Skyway. 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 Cliffside Park, 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 1.3 miles (US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (US 1; US 9): 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 Cliffside Park, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More from Elizabeth, NJ

Plainsboro, NJ 36.8 mi · 51m South Hackensack, NJ 21 mi · 32m North Bergen, NJ 16.1 mi · 24m Orange, NJ 9.6 mi · 19m

More trips to Cliffside Park, NJ

Vineland, NJ 118.3 mi Camden, NJ 94 mi Passaic, NJ 10.6 mi
Escape planner: Elizabeth, NJ Scenic drives in NJ

Explore more options from Elizabeth, NJ or browse trips ending in Cliffside Park, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.