Origin
Lakewood, NJ
Afternoon in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, NJ to Trenton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
31.9 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition across the Northeast, the 31.9-mile journey from Lakewood to Trenton is a straightforward day trip. Expect to spend about 45 minutes on the road, making this an ideal choice for a morning or afternoon commute. You will primarily navigate via the Central Jersey Expressway, County Line Road, and Arena Drive. With fuel costs estimated at just $5, this is an incredibly budget-friendly trek within New Jersey. Since the entire drive takes less than an hour, there is no need to plan for overnight stops or complicated logistics. It serves as a practical, efficient link between these two points without any unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Jersey Expressway | 19 mi | 21m |
| County Line Road | 6.3 mi | 11m |
| Arena Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Olden Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Commodore Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| Madison Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Hamilton Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Swamp Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Central Jersey Expressway
— 19 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, NJ and Trenton, 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
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Central Jersey Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 2
Toward US 206: South Broad Street, Arena Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 2
Toward Arena Drive
11
Turn straight onto CR 620
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Arena Drive
12
Turn left onto CR 622
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Olden Avenue
13
Turn left onto CR 606
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hamilton Avenue
14
Turn right onto CR 626
6 ft
·
0 sec
·
Chambers Street
15
Arrive at destination
CR 626
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.9 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28 — 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.
8
27.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward US 206: South Broad Street, Arena Drive
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 2
Toward US 206: South Broad Street, Arena Drive
7
28 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Arena Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 2
Toward Arena Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.29 one way
$10.58 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.79 | $11.58 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.19 | $12.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Trenton, NJ
Afternoon in Trenton on Sunday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
45°F
Manalapan, NJ
16 mi in
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
12 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
45m 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 trip features a mixed drive profile that keeps you engaged as you transition between local roads and faster thoroughfares. Roughly 60% of your time will be spent on highways, providing a nice balance to the slower-paced sections. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during your 19 miles on the Central Jersey Expressway, where you can settle into a steady rhythm. As you move from the initial local stretches onto the main expressway, the character of the road shifts from neighborhood transit to a more direct, high-speed flow. Navigating these varied road types requires you to stay alert as you move through the different transit segments.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19 mi on Central Jersey Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 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 Effort
6/10
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 31.9 miles you will encounter 9 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.
About the Cities
Starting in Lakewood, NJ
Full guide →Lakewood is a town in Ocean County, New Jersey.
Arriving in Trenton, NJ
Full guide →Trenton is in Mercer County, and is the capital of New Jersey. The city's strategic location in between New York City and Philadelphia has historically contributed to its growth and significantly impacts local culture. Located on the Delaware River across from Pennsylvania, Trenton is the only accessible capital city in the United States to border another state.
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 45m. Total distance: 31.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19 miles on Central Jersey 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 Trenton, 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 (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 Trenton, 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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