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Trip from Jersey City, NJ to Glen Gardner, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 6m

Distance

51.5 mi

83 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 1m ★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Jersey City, NJ, NJ

Jersey City, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Glen Gardner, NJ, NJ

Glen Gardner, NJ

James Kampeis

Trip Overview

The drive from Jersey City, NJ to Glen Gardner, NJ covers 51.5 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, NJ 31, US 1 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 40 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.85 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway 40 mi 46m
NJ 31 5 mi 7m
US 1 Truck 3 mi 5m
US 1 1.9 mi 2m
Duncan Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
I 78 0.2 mi <1m
Sanatorium Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway — 40 mi, about 46m

Traffic on I-78

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 80 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~3,749 veh/hr typical · worst 4,397

Quietest

2 AM

~366 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

10.2×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jersey City, NJ and Glen Gardner, NJ.

1

Start on Olean Avenue

316 ft · 15 sec · Olean Avenue
2

Turn right onto Duncan Avenue

0.4 mi · 53 sec · Duncan Avenue
3

Turn left onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck

0.4 mi · 44 sec · US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Use the left lane.
4

Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck

1.9 mi · 3 min · US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Airport, Port Newark Elizabeth Seaport Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck

0.7 mi · 1 min · US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 Truck South, US 9 Truck South: Port Newark, Newark Airport
6

Merge onto US 1; US 9

1.9 mi · 2 min · US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

344 ft · 8 sec
Toward I 78 West: Port Newark, Newark Airport North Area, Air Cargo Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward Frontage Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn left onto Frontage Road

77 ft · 3 sec · Frontage Road
10

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward I 78, NJTP: Economy Parking
11

Merge onto I 78

8.7 mi · 10 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 78

0.2 mi · 11 sec · I 78
Toward I 78 West: Clinton Use the slight left lane.
13

Merge onto I 78

31 mi · 36 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 42 sec
Exit 17 Toward NJ 31: Clinton, Flemington, Washington Use the slight right lane.
15

Merge onto NJ 31

5.0 mi · 7 min · NJ 31
16

Turn right onto Sanatorium Road

377 ft · 22 sec · Sanatorium Road
17

Turn left onto Main Street

0.2 mi · 54 sec · Main Street
18

Turn right onto Gardner Lane

31 ft · 1 sec · Gardner Lane
19

Arrive at destination

Gardner Lane

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

census-designated place in New Jersey, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Port Reading, NJ

26 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Watchung, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25.8 miles from Jersey City, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 45.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck

Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Airport, Port Newark Elizabeth Seaport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Newark Airport,...
7
5.4 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward I 78 West: Port Newark, Newark Airport North Area, Air Cargo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 78 West: Port Newark, Newark Airport N...
8
5.4 mi into trip | ~9m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Frontage Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Frontage Road
7
14.5 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 78

Keep slight left at fork onto I 78 toward I 78 West: Clinton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 78 West: Clinton
8
45.9 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward NJ 31: Clinton, Flemington, Washington

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 17 Toward NJ 31: Clinton, Flemington, Washington

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.85 one way

$17.70 round trip

$4.37/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.79 $9.71 $19.42
premium $5.13 $10.40 $20.79
diesel $5.97 $12.10 $24.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.5 0 $5.41 $2.47
Efficient EV 12.9 0 $4.51 $2.06
EV Truck/SUV 20.6 0 $7.21 $3.30

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Sep 12, 2026

Origin

Jersey City, NJ

Morning in Jersey City on Saturday

Local time

7:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Glen Gardner, NJ

Morning in Glen Gardner on Saturday

Local time

7:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°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

19 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 6m 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?

51.5 mi in 1h 6m, mostly highway — 40 mi of that is on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.

97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and NJ 31. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck.

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 51.5 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.9 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

432 ft 18 ft

Total Climb

906 ft

Total Descent

506 ft

Highest Point

432 ft

~51.5 mi in

Elevation Range

415 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Jersey City, NJ and Glen Gardner, NJ, road signs point toward Newark Airport, Newark Airport North Area, Air Cargo, Njtp: Economy Parking, Flemington and Washington.

Newark Airport

2.8 mi in | ~5m | via US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck

Newark Airport North Area

5.4 mi in | ~8m

Air Cargo

5.4 mi in | ~8m

Njtp: Economy Parking

5.6 mi in | ~9m

Flemington

45.9 mi in | ~56m

Washington

45.9 mi in | ~56m

About the Cities

Starting in Jersey City, NJ

Full guide →

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

  • Holland Tunnel — road tunnel between Manhattan, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey in the Unite...
  • Statue of Liberty National Monument — United States national monument
  • Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal — former railroad terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey

Arriving in Glen Gardner, NJ

Full guide →

Founded 1919

Top landmarks

  • Glen Gardner Pony Pratt Truss Bridge — historic bridge in Glen Gardner, 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 1h 6m. Total distance: 51.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 40 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. 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 Glen Gardner, 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 0.9 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Glen Gardner, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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