Lakewood, NJ to Frenchtown, NJ is 64.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 38 minutes via Central Jersey Expressway and NJ 29, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region and entirely within New Jersey. The majority of the drive is on highways, offering a relatively quick transit between these two points. With a short duration and reasonable fuel cost, this route is a practical option for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
32.3 miles from Lakewood, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Central Jersey Expressway
21.1 mi
24m
NJ 29
18.8 mi
29m
River Drive
7 mi
12m
County Line Road
6.3 mi
11m
Risler Street
4.6 mi
8m
Daniel Bray Highway
1.7 mi
3m
North Main Street
1.1 mi
1m
East Commodore Boulevard
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Central Jersey Expressway
— 21.1 mi, about 24m
Traffic on I-195
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,768 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,281
Quietest
2 AM
~119 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Lakewood, NJ and Frenchtown, NJ.
1
Start on 8th Street
46 ft·4 sec·8th Street
2
Turn right onto US 9; CR 547
0.6 mi·1 min·Madison Avenue
3
Turn left onto CR 526
6.3 mi·11 min·County Line Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto CR 526; CR 638
0.1 mi·23 sec·Jackson Mills Road
5
Turn slight right onto CR 526
1.0 mi·1 min·East Commodore Boulevard
6
Turn right onto CR 527
0.4 mi·39 sec·Cedar Swamp Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 195 West: Trenton
8
Merge onto I 195
21 mi·24 min·Central Jersey Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on NJ 29
19 mi·29 min·NJ 29
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto NJ 29; NJ 179
274 ft·8 sec·Bridge Street
11
Turn right onto NJ 29
1.1 mi·1 min·North Main Street
12
Continue on NJ 29
1.7 mi·3 min·Daniel Bray Highway
13
Continue on NJ 29
0.8 mi·1 min·South Main Street
14
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 29
4.6 mi·8 min·Risler Street
15
Continue on NJ 29
7.0 mi·12 min·River Drive
16
Continue on NJ 29
0.6 mi·1 min·Trenton Avenue
17
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 12
170 ft·9 sec·Bridge Street
18
Turn left onto South Harrison Street
71 ft·3 sec·South Harrison Street
19
Arrive at destination
South Harrison Street
Trip Plan
Given this route takes under two hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will allow you to arrive with plenty of daylight to explore Frenchtown. Factor in approximately $11 for fuel, and plan for minimal stops, though there are opportunities along NJ 29 if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel level as the longest stretch without services could be around 21 miles.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 32.3 miles from Lakewood, NJ, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 14 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 32.3 miles or 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Frenchtown, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lakewood, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lakewood, NJ
This is one driving day of about 64.5 miles and 1h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Lakewood, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Central Jersey Expressway for about 21.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 64.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue
Turn right onto US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|CR 526 / County Line Road
Turn left onto CR 526 / County Line Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
8.7 mi into trip|~15m in|I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway
Merge onto I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
64.5 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|NJ 12 / Bridge Street
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 12 / Bridge Street
Navigation decision point
5
64.5 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|South Harrison Street
Turn left onto South Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.41 one way
$22.81 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$12.49
$24.99
premium
$5.24
$13.32
$26.63
diesel
$5.35
$13.59
$27.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.4
0
$6.77
$3.10
Efficient EV
16.1
0
$5.64
$2.58
EV Truck/SUV
25.8
0
$9.03
$4.13
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Lakewood, NJ
Evening
in Lakewood on Wednesday
Local time
8:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Patchy Fog
N 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Frenchtown, NJ
Evening
in Frenchtown on Wednesday
Local time
8:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Patchy Fog
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
76°F
Woodside, PA
32 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 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 38m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 62% of the route on faster roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 21.1 miles on the Central Jersey Expressway before transitioning to surface roads like NJ 29. Expect to encounter more exits and potentially slower speeds as you leave the highway system.
62% 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: 21.1 mi on Central Jersey Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Central Jersey Expressway and NJ 29. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.5 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (CR 526 / County Line Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles (I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Frenchtown is a Borough in Hunterdon County. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,373. Various names have been applied to this settlement after the many ferry operators residing on both sides of the river. The community had variously been known as Alexandriaville, Sunbeam and Frenchtown over the years.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 38m. Total distance: 64.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.1 miles on Central Jersey Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 (US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (CR 526 / County Line Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles (I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Frenchtown, NJ before heading back.
