Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
29.5 mi
48 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Rockaway, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ to Rockaway, NJ is 29.5 miles and takes about 43m via Essex Freeway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, connecting two points in New Jersey. The route is a mix of highway driving and surface streets, making it a relatively quick hop for those looking to move between these areas. You'll spend less than an hour in transit, so it's ideal for a same-day excursion or a short leg of a larger journey. Given its short distance and modest fuel cost, it's a practical option for various travel needs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Freeway | 11.5 mi | 14m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Grove Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Broad Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Coit Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 98 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,372 veh/hr typical · worst 6,289
Quietest
1 AM
~483 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 96 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Rockaway, NJ.
Start on this road
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
Turn right onto Jefferson Avenue
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 27
Turn left onto CR 628
Turn right onto CR 509
Continue on CR 509
Turn slight left onto CR 509
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 280
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight right onto CR 513
Turn straight onto CR 513
Continue on CR 513
Turn slight right onto CR 513
Continue on CR 513
At end of road, turn right onto CR 513
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 28.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward CR 513 South: Main Street, Rockaway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.07 one way
$10.14 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $5.56 | $11.13 |
| premium | $5.13 | $5.95 | $11.91 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $6.93 | $13.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Elizabeth on Saturday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Rockaway on Saturday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This drive is about 39% highway, with the longest continuous stretch on the Essex Freeway measuring 11.5 miles. You'll transition from freeway conditions to surface streets, so expect a change in pace and traffic patterns. The mix of Essex Freeway and Christopher Columbus Highway suggests a significant portion will involve higher speeds and more controlled access, followed by navigating city streets like Grove Street. Keep an eye out for the dense pattern of exits as you transition from highway to local roads.
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 0.3 miles in near East Grand Street.
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 19 decision points packed into just 29.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
882 ft
Total Descent
342 ft
Highest Point
573 ft
~25.3 mi in
Elevation Range
553 ft
Founded 1665
Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
Top landmarks
Founded 1894
Rockaway is a city in New Jersey. It is the common name for the area made up of Rockaway Township and Rockaway Boro. It's in the northern central part of the state and part of Morris County. Rockaway is home to close to 30,000 residents. The area is largely suburban and residential, and has a lot of rural land as well. Rockaway Townsquare Mall, in the Township section, is home to one of New Jersey's largest shopping centers.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 29.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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