Origin
Lakewood, NJ
Morning in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, NJ to Jersey City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
52 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Lakewood to Jersey City covers approximately 60.6 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 7 minutes. This short distance makes it a straightforward day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Madison Avenue, Highway 9, and the Garden State Parkway North. Budgeting around $10 for fuel should cover your needs for this journey through the Northeast. Because the trip is relatively quick, you have the flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about mid-trip lodging.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 9 | 26 mi | 38m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 14 mi | 17m |
| Garden State Parkway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Madison Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| US 1 Truck | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 9
— 26 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
1
Start on 8th Street
46 ft
·
4 sec
·
8th Street
2
Turn right onto US 9; CR 547
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 9
26 mi
·
38 min
·
US Highway 9
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
5
Merge onto GSP
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Garden State Parkway
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 129
Toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
8
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
9
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
this road
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
11
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
14 mi
·
17 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
12
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 15E
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newark, Jersey City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
322 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jersey City, Doremus Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jersey City
16
Merge onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
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 North, US 9 Truck North
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olean Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Olean Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Lakewood, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 32 and 50.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
32 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
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 129
Toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
8
48.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newark, Jersey City
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.
Exit 15E
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newa...
8
49.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jersey City, Doremus Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jers...
7
49.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jersey City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jers...
7
50.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.62 one way
$17.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.44 | $18.88 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.08 | $20.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.48 | $22.96 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.38
New Jersey Turnpike
(15.1 mi)
$2.11
Garden State Parkway
(4.6 mi)
$0.27
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
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.
Destination
Jersey City, NJ
Morning in Jersey City on Sunday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
21 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 18m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features 0% highway travel in terms of sustained high-speed corridors. You will navigate a series of local roads that demand your full attention behind the wheel. The transition from the suburban feel of Lakewood to the denser, more urban environment of Jersey City happens progressively as you move north. Since there are no designated long, uninterrupted stretches, you should prepare for constant adjustments to your speed and navigation. It is a practical, functional drive that prioritizes connectivity between these two New Jersey locations.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26 mi on US Highway 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 9 and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 32 miles in.
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 52 miles you will encounter 15 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 32 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lakewood, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp: New York City, Trenton and Njtp North: New York City.
Njtp: New York City
32 mi in
|
~49m
Trenton
32 mi in
|
~49m
Njtp North: New York City
33 mi in
|
~51m
About the Cities
Starting in Lakewood, NJ
Full guide →Lakewood is a town in Ocean County, New Jersey.
Arriving in Jersey City, NJ
Full guide →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.
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 18m. Total distance: 52 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26 miles on US Highway 9. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.38 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Jersey City, 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 32 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jersey City, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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