Origin
Elmwood Park, NJ
Late night in Elmwood Park on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmwood Park, NJ to East Orange, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
12.8 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, NJ
Thomas Parker
East Orange, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 12.8 miles, this quick trip between Elmwood Park and East Orange is a straightforward transit within the Northeast region. Expect to spend about 18 minutes behind the wheel, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. Because the total fuel cost is estimated at only $2, it is an incredibly budget-friendly commute. You will primarily navigate via the Garden State Parkway, US 46, and Mola Boulevard. Since both towns reside in New Jersey, you will remain within the same state throughout the entire experience. This is a practical, no-nonsense drive that requires no overnight stops, allowing you to easily handle your business or errands and return home in no time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| US 46 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Mola Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Parkway Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Linden Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 7.2 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmwood Park, NJ and East Orange, NJ.
1
Start on Linden Avenue
128 ft
·
7 sec
·
Linden Avenue
2
Turn right onto Mola Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Mola Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
331 ft
·
9 sec
4
Merge onto US 46
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the slight right lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
519 ft
·
12 sec
Toward NJ 19 North, GSP South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto GSP
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 147
Toward East Orange
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn straight onto Parkway Drive
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Parkway Drive
Use the straight lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Parkway Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 12.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 46
Merge onto US 46
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
4.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19 North, GSP South
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.
Toward NJ 19 North, GSP South
7
4.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GSP Toll South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward GSP Toll South
7
12.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward East Orange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 147
Toward East Orange
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.12 one way
$4.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.32 | $4.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.48 | $4.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.83 | $5.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.43
Garden State Parkway
(7.2 mi)
$0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
East Orange, NJ
Late night in East Orange on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
8 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
18m 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?
With 89% of this route consisting of highway driving, you should be prepared for a fast-paced, efficiency-focused experience. The drive transitions through various road types, beginning with local streets before hitting the primary arteries. You will encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 7.2 miles on the Garden State Parkway, which defines the bulk of your time on the road. The personality of this trip is distinctly highway-oriented, prioritizing speed and directness over leisurely pacing. You can expect a consistent, high-speed flow as you move between these two New Jersey communities.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.2 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US 46. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near US 46.
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 8 decision points packed into just 12.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 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 Elmwood Park, NJ and East Orange, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp South, Gsp Toll South and Orange.
Gsp South
4.4 mi in
|
~6m
Gsp Toll South
4.5 mi in
|
~6m
Orange
12.1 mi in
|
~17m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 12.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.2 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.43 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. 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 East Orange, 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 0.9 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 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 Morristown 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 East Orange, 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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