Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
18 mi
29 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
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.
Jersey City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
New Milford, NJ
Tashaud Bullock
Jersey City, NJ to New Milford, NJ is 18 miles and takes about 29m via NJ 3 and South River Street, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey, making it an easy local excursion. Given its brief length and minimal highway time, it's ideal for a quick errand or a short scenic drive if you're in the area. You won't spend much time on the road, so you can easily build this into a larger day of activities without feeling rushed.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 3 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| South River Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Tonnelle Avenue | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Washington Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| US 1 Truck | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| River Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Moonachie Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Hackensack Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Jersey City, NJ and New Milford, 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
Take the exit onto NJ 120
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 120
Keep slight left at fork onto CR 503
Continue on CR 503
Continue on CR 503
Continue on CR 503
Turn left onto CR 503; CR 49
Continue on CR 503; CR 49
Continue on CR 49
Continue on CR 49
Continue on CR 49
Turn right onto CR 41
Turn right onto Cedar Road
Turn right onto Plympton Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 7.4 — 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
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
Take the exit onto NJ 120 toward NJ 120 North: East Rutherford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 120 / Larry Doby Highway toward NJ 120 North: Washington Avenue, Moonachie, Paterson Plank Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.01 one way
$6.02 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $3.31 | $6.62 |
| premium | $5.01 | $3.55 | $7.10 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $3.97 | $7.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Jersey City on Saturday
Local time
4:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in New Milford on Saturday
Local time
4:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
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 surface roads, with only about 25% of the drive on highways. You'll experience the longest continuous stretch on NJ 3 for 2.8 miles before transitioning to surface streets like South River Street and Tonnelle Avenue. Expect frequent intersections and traffic signals as you navigate through populated areas. The shift from highway to surface roads is quite noticeable, requiring more frequent braking and acceleration.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 15 decision points packed into just 18 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
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 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
75 ft
Total Descent
80 ft
Highest Point
32 ft
Elevation Range
28 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Jersey City, NJ and New Milford, NJ, road signs point toward Secaucus and Moonachie.
Secaucus
Moonachie
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 1922
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 18 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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