Origin
Hawthorne, NJ
Late night in Hawthorne on Tuesday
Local time
5:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hawthorne, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.5 mi
38 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hawthorne, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Hawthorne to Elizabeth, you are planning a straightforward 23.5-mile journey through the Northeast. Expect to spend about 34 minutes on the road, making this an easy day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is a highly economical route for your schedule. You will rely primarily on NJ 21, McLean Boulevard, and US 1 to navigate between these two New Jersey hubs. Given the short duration and direct nature of the drive, it is best approached as a quick transit rather than a multi-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 21 | 14.3 mi | 20m |
| McLean Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| US 1 | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Lincoln Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Diamond Bridge Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| US 46 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 21
— 14.3 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hawthorne, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Royal Avenue
76 ft
·
8 sec
·
Royal Avenue
2
Turn left onto CR 654
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Diamond Bridge Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 69
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
4
Continue on CR 504; CR 653
518 ft
·
9 sec
·
River Street
5
Keep slight left at fork onto CR 504; CR 653
158 ft
·
9 sec
·
River Street
6
Turn left onto NJ 20
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
2nd Avenue
7
Continue on NJ 20
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
McLean Boulevard
8
Continue on NJ 20
0.8 mi
·
51 sec
·
McLean Boulevard
9
Merge onto US 46
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
US 46
10
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 21
14 mi
·
20 min
·
NJ 21
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 1; US 9
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 1; US 9
12
Continue on US 1; US 9
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
14
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 5.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 654 / Diamond Bridge Avenue
Turn left onto CR 654 / Diamond Bridge Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 69 / Lincoln Avenue
Turn right onto CR 69 / Lincoln Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 504; CR 653 / River Street
Keep slight left at fork onto CR 504; CR 653 / River Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 20 / 2nd Avenue
Turn left onto NJ 20 / 2nd Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
NJ 21
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 21
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.90 one way
$7.79 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.27 | $8.53 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.56 | $9.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.19 | $10.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.47 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Tuesday
Local time
5:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
34m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 77% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will experience a significant 14.3-mile uninterrupted stretch along NJ 21, which sets the pace for the majority of the ride. While the drive is efficient, be prepared for the fast-moving conditions typical of high-speed corridors. The road transitions from regional highway segments into the denser traffic flow typical of the US 1 corridor as you approach your destination. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that prioritizes speed and direct connectivity over leisurely backroads.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.3 mi on NJ 21.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 21 and McLean Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 654 / Diamond Bridge Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 23.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 654 / Diamond Bridge Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (CR 69 / Lincoln Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR 504; CR 653 / River Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.3 miles on NJ 21. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Elizabeth, 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: near the start (CR 654 / Diamond Bridge Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (CR 69 / Lincoln Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR 504; CR 653 / River Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elizabeth, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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