Origin
Franklin, NJ
Morning in Franklin on Sunday
Local time
11:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, NJ to Union, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
17.1 mi
28 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, NJ
Matt Weissinger
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Trip Overview
This 17.1-mile drive from Franklin, NJ to Union, NJ is a quick trip, taking about 27 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey, making it ideal as a day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You'll primarily be on the Essex Freeway and the Garden State Parkway, with a short stint on Passaic Avenue. Given the compact distance, the estimated fuel cost is a low $3, so you won't need to budget much for gas. This route is a practical option for getting between these two Northeast locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Freeway | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Garden State Parkway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Passaic Avenue | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Freeway Drive East | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Oraton Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Oraton Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Vauxhall Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Whittlesey Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Essex Freeway
— 6.9 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, NJ and Union, NJ.
1
Start on this road
41 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
56 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left onto CR 614
186 ft
·
13 sec
·
Clinton Road
4
Turn left onto CR 613
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Passaic Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 611
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Eagle Rock Avenue
6
Turn right onto CR 609
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Eisenhower Parkway
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 280 East
8
Merge onto I 280
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Essex Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 11A
Toward Harrison Street, Clinton Street, East Orange
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn straight onto Freeway Drive East
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Freeway Drive East
11
Turn right onto South Oraton Parkway
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
South Oraton Parkway
12
Continue on Whittlesey Avenue
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Whittlesey Avenue
13
Turn straight onto Maybaum Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Maybaum Avenue
14
Continue on Oraton Parkway
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto Oraton Parkway
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
17
Merge onto GSP
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 141
Toward Vauxhall Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto CR 630
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vauxhall Road
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
10 sec
·
Harding Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Harding Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 16.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 613 / Passaic Avenue
Turn left onto CR 613 / Passaic Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR 611 / Eagle Rock Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto CR 611 / Eagle Rock Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
10.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Harrison Street, Clinton Street, East Orange
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 11A
Toward Harrison Street, Clinton Street, East Or...
6
12.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Oraton Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto Oraton Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
16.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Vauxhall Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 141
Toward Vauxhall Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.83 one way
$5.67 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.10 | $6.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.32 | $6.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.20
Garden State Parkway
(3.3 mi)
$0.20
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 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
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
Union, NJ
Morning in Union on Sunday
Local time
11:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
2 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
27m 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?
Expect a very highway-centric experience on this route, with 71% of the drive taking place on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 6.9 miles on the Essex Freeway, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. While primarily a highway drive, you will transition to local roads like Passaic Avenue as you near your destination. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, designed for straightforward transit between points.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.9 mi on Essex Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Essex Freeway and Garden State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR 613 / Passaic Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 17.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CR 613 / Passaic Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (CR 611 / Eagle Rock Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 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 Franklin, NJ and Union, NJ, road signs point toward Orange and Gsp Toll South.
Orange
10.5 mi in
|
~14m
Gsp Toll South
13 mi in
|
~19m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.9 miles on Essex Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.20 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 Union, 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 0.1 miles (CR 613 / Passaic Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (CR 611 / Eagle Rock Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 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 Union, 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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