Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
29.2 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jersey City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Butler, NJ
Joel Zar
Jersey City, NJ to Butler, NJ is 29.2 miles and takes about 38 minutes via NJ 3 and NJ 23, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its limited distance and duration, it's a straightforward drive suitable for a single-day excursion. The route primarily utilizes major roadways, making it a practical choice for a quick commute or a brief scenic drive without extensive planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 3 | 10.9 mi | 13m |
| NJ 23 | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Tonnelle Avenue | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| US 1 Truck | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| CR 511 ALT | 1 mi | 1m |
| Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike | 1 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,323 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~318 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 98 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Jersey City, NJ and Butler, NJ.
Start on Olean Avenue
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
Turn right onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Merge onto US 1; US 9
Turn straight onto NJ 3
Merge onto US 46
Take the exit
Merge onto NJ 23
Continue on NJ 23
Take the exit onto CR 511 ALT
At end of road, turn left onto CR 694
Continue on CR 694
Continue on CR 511
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 27.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto CR 694 / Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.02 one way
$10.04 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $5.51 | $11.01 |
| premium | $5.13 | $5.89 | $11.79 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $6.86 | $13.72 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.07
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
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
Morning in Jersey City on Saturday
Local time
7:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Butler on Saturday
Local time
7:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Partly Cloudy
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 drive is mostly highway, with 86% of the 29.2 miles on faster roads. You'll experience a stretch of 10.9 miles on NJ 3 before transitioning to other main roads like NJ 23 and US 46. Expect a high number of exits and merges throughout the majority of your travel time. The route shifts from highway to surface roads as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 3 and NJ 23. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck.
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 12 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
489 ft
Total Descent
182 ft
Highest Point
339 ft
~29.2 mi in
Elevation Range
328 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Jersey City, NJ to Butler, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 511 Alt along the way.
Cr 511 Alt
Founded 1609
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.
Top landmarks
Founded 1901
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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