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 New Brunswick, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
41.2 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, NJ
Thomas Parker
New Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Elmwood Park to New Brunswick is 41.2 miles and takes about 58 minutes via the New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive primarily within New Jersey. You'll spend most of your time on the Turnpike, making it an efficient option for traveling between these two points in the Northeast region. Given its short duration, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination with plenty of time for activities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 17.3 mi | 20m |
| NJ 21 | 14.3 mi | 20m |
| US 1 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| US 46 | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| NJ 81 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| State Route 18 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Mola Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Suydam Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 17.3 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmwood Park, NJ and New Brunswick, 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 left at fork onto NJ 21
14 mi
·
20 min
·
NJ 21
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto US 1; US 9
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 1; US 9
7
Continue on US 1; US 9
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9
Continue on NJ 81
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
315 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
12
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
17 mi
·
20 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
323 ft
·
7 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
16
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 18
17
Take the exit onto CR 527
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
CR 527
Toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn straight onto Route 18 Service Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Route 18 Service Road
Toward NJ 18 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto Paul Robeson Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Paul Robeson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto Suydam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Suydam Street
21
Turn left onto CR 691
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Livingston Avenue
22
Turn right onto Delavan Street
68 ft
·
3 sec
·
Delavan Street
23
Arrive at destination
Delavan Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Elmwood Park, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 19.7 and 39.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
19.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
8
37.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
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 9
Toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
8
38.2 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers Univ...
7
38.5 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers Univ...
7
39.5 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
CR 527
Take the exit onto CR 527 toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
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 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Cam...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.66 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.48 | $14.96 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.99 | $15.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.10 | $18.19 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.42
New Jersey Turnpike
(17.3 mi)
$2.42
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
New Brunswick, NJ
Late night in New Brunswick on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
10 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
58m 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?
This route is heavily dominated by highway driving, with 91% of it on major roads. Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of the 41.2 miles, particularly on the New Jersey Turnpike. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.3 miles on this main artery. While largely consistent, the journey transitions from NJ 21 and US 1 initially before merging onto the Turnpike, offering a predictable and relatively fast pace.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and NJ 21. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19.7 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 18 decision points packed into just 41.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 New Brunswick, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp South: Trenton and Rutgers University.
Njtp South: Trenton
19.7 mi in
|
~29m
Rutgers University
38.2 mi in
|
~51m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 41.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.42 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 New Brunswick, 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 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 New Brunswick, 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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