Origin
Island Heights, NJ
Late night in Island Heights on Sunday
Local time
4:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Island Heights, NJ to Edison, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
53.6 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Island Heights, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Edison, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 53.6-mile drive from Island Heights, NJ, to Edison, NJ, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 12 minutes. Primarily utilizing NJ 18, the Garden State Parkway, and NJ 34, this route is heavily focused on highway travel, with 92% of the journey on these faster roads. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $9, this is a very manageable day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The journey stays within the Northeast region, offering a consistent driving experience throughout. You'll find this route efficient for getting from point A to point B without significant detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 18 | 21.4 mi | 24m |
| Garden State Parkway | 15 mi | 17m |
| NJ 34 | 7 mi | 9m |
| Route 37 East | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| US 1 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Plainfield Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| NJ 33 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West End Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 18
— 21.4 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Island Heights, NJ and Edison, NJ.
1
Start on (627)
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Central Avenue
2
Turn left onto Garden Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden Avenue
3
Turn right onto West End Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West End Avenue
4
Turn left onto NJ 37
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Route 37 East
5
Continue on NJ 37
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Route 37 West
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 9 Toll North, GSP Toll North: Lakewood, New York, Woodbridge
7
Merge onto GSP; US 9
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 98
Toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward GSP North, I 195 West
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 195 West: Trenton
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto NJ 138
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
NJ 138
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 35B
Toward NJ 34 North: Matawan
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto NJ 34
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 34
14
Enter roundabout onto NJ 33; NJ 34
451 ft
·
6 sec
·
NJ 33; NJ 34
15
Continue on NJ 33; NJ 34
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 33; NJ 34
16
Take the exit onto NJ 34
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 34
Use the straight lane.
17
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick
18
Merge onto NJ 18
21 mi
·
24 min
·
NJ 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 1 North: Newark
Use the left / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto US 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
21
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 1
Use the right lane.
23
Continue on US 1
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 1
24
Turn right
462 ft
·
39 sec
25
At end of road, turn left onto CR 529
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Plainfield Avenue
26
Turn left onto Central Avenue
345 ft
·
17 sec
·
Central Avenue
27
Turn right onto Reed Street
523 ft
·
28 sec
·
Reed Street
28
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Island Heights, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 19.2 and 50.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
19.2 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar, Trenton
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 98
Toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar,...
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GSP North, I 195 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward GSP North, I 195 West
8
19.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 195 West: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 195 West: Trenton
8
20.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward NJ 34 North: Matawan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 35B
Toward NJ 34 North: Matawan
6
50.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward US 1 North: Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1 North: Newark
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.89 one way
$17.77 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.73 | $19.46 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.40 | $20.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.90
Garden State Parkway
(15 mi)
$0.90
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Edison, NJ
Late night in Edison on Sunday
Local time
4:06 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
25 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
1h 12m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 53.6-mile journey, as 92% of the drive consists of faster roads like NJ 18, the Garden State Parkway, and NJ 34. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.4 miles on NJ 18, offering a period of consistent speed. The road character remains largely consistent, prioritizing efficient travel over scenic byways. This profile means you'll likely experience smooth, predictable driving conditions for the majority of the 1 hour and 12-minute duration.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.4 mi on NJ 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 18 and Garden State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.6 miles you will encounter 21 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Island Heights, NJ and Edison, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North: Lakewood, New York, Woodbridge, Trenton and Gsp North.
Gsp Toll North: Lakewood
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
New York
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Woodbridge
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Trenton
19.2 mi in
|
~25m
Gsp North
19.5 mi in
|
~26m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 53.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.4 miles on NJ 18. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.90 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 Edison, 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 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 Edison, 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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