Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
27.4 mi
44 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin Lakes, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin Lakes, NJ to Jersey City, NJ is 27.4 miles and takes about 37 minutes via NJ 17, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region and entirely within New Jersey, making it a convenient option for a quick excursion or commute. You'll spend most of your time on highways, so expect a straightforward drive. It's a good choice if you need to get from one point to another in northern New Jersey without a lengthy commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 17 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| NJ 208 | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| NJ 3 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| Tonnelle Avenue | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Franklin Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| NJ 4 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ewing Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin Lakes, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
Start on Shirley Avenue
Turn right onto CR S-89
Turn right onto CR 502
Take the ramp
Merge onto NJ 208
Turn straight onto NJ 208
Continue on NJ 208
Continue on NJ 208
Continue on NJ 208
Continue on NJ 4
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto NJ 17
Take the exit
Merge onto NJ 3
Continue on US 1; US 9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9
Turn right onto CR 501
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
Turn right onto Olean Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 25.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto NJ 208
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 17 South: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9 / Tonnelle Avenue toward NJ 139 East, US 1 South, US 9 South: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Tonnele Avenue, Jersey City, Pulaski Skyway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.54 one way
$9.09 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.98 | $9.95 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.31 | $10.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.05 | $12.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.40 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.75 |
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
Afternoon in Franklin Lakes on Sunday
Local time
12:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Mostly Cloudy then Rain Showers Likely
Destination
Afternoon in Jersey City on Sunday
Local time
12:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
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 route is mostly highway, with 75% of the drive on major roads like NJ 17, NJ 208, and NJ 3. You'll encounter your longest stretch on NJ 17, covering 8.1 miles. Expect frequent merging and exit activity as you navigate through built-up areas. The highway portion concludes around the time you transition to surface roads leading into Jersey City.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 17 and NJ 208. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near NJ 208.
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 16 decision points packed into just 27.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (NJ 208): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Franklin Lakes, NJ to Jersey City, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Pulaski Skyway along the way.
Pulaski Skyway
Jersey City is New Jersey's second-largest city. Jersey City sits in Hudson County in the northeastern section of the state, across the Hudson from its older and bigger cousin, New York City, and south of Hoboken. It is frequently referred to as New York’s “sixth borough”. Until the early 1600s, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. The Dutch then settled here as a part of the colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into an industrial powerhouse, with railroads winding up and down the city (some of these lines are still used today). Although Jersey City declined in the 1960s, an upswing began in the 1980s, and the city was transformed into what it is today.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 27.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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