Origin
Lafayette, NJ
Afternoon in Lafayette on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lafayette, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
41.3 mi
66 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lafayette, NJ
Kelly
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lafayette, NJ to Clifton, NJ is 41.3 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Christopher Columbus Highway and US 46, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a local feel for most of the journey, with a fair amount of turning involved. It's a straightforward, relatively short trip, perfect for a single day when you need to get from point A to point B without a major expedition.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 18.6 mi | 20m |
| Lafayette Road | 11.4 mi | 17m |
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Rt 15 South | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 18.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Meadows Road
127 ft
·
9 sec
·
Meadows Road
2
Turn left onto NJ 15
11 mi
·
17 min
·
Lafayette Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on NJ 15
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Rt 15 South
4
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 East: New York
5
Merge onto I 80
19 mi
·
20 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
8
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
10
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
11
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
13
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
14
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
15
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
16
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Lafayette, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NJ 15 / Lafayette Road
Turn left onto NJ 15 / Lafayette Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
16 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge onto I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
34.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
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 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunn...
7
39.6 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
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 Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
5
39.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
CR 623 / Grove Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.85 one way
$13.69 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.50 | $15.00 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.01 | $16.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.34 | $1.98 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.78 | $2.64 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Clifton, NJ
Afternoon in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
11 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
56m 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 route is characterized by its numerous turns, making it a dynamic local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise. Only about 20% of the journey is on highways, meaning you'll spend most of your time navigating local roads like Lafayette Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.6 miles along the Christopher Columbus Highway. As you progress, the road will likely shift between these faster highway sections and more involved local street driving, requiring your attention.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.6 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive near NJ 15 / Lafayette Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 41.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NJ 15 / Lafayette Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16 miles (I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, 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 56m. Total distance: 41.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.6 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. 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 Clifton, 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 (NJ 15 / Lafayette Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16 miles (I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clifton, 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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