Origin
Livingston, NJ
Morning in Livingston on Sunday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Livingston, 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
25m
Distance
17.9 mi
29 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Livingston, NJ
David Kanigan
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Livingston to Clifton, you are in for a quick 16.9-mile journey that typically takes about 24 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Northeast region of New Jersey, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will primarily navigate via North Livingston Avenue, I-280 West, and the Essex Freeway. Budgeting around $3 for fuel should be more than sufficient for this short distance. Since there are no required stops, you can easily complete this drive in one go without needing to plan for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| Essex Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| North Livingston Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| New Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 46
— 10.6 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Livingston, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 10
125 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Mount Pleasant Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 527
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Livingston Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 280 West
4
Merge onto I 280
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Essex Freeway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 1
Toward Edwards Road, New Road
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork
366 ft
·
9 sec
Toward New Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto New Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
New Road
8
Continue on New Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
New Road
9
Turn right onto US 46
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
US 46
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
12
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
13
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
15
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
16
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
17
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
18
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 4.8 and 16.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
4.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward Edwards Road, New Road
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 1
Toward Edwards Road, New Road
8
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward New Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Toward New Road
6
5.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 46
Turn right onto US 46
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
16.3 mi into trip
|
~21m 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
16.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
CR 623 / Grove Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.25 | $6.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.47 | $6.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.95 | $7.90 |
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, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Clifton, NJ
Morning in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
6:14 AM
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
22 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
25m 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 driving experience as you transition between municipal roads and highway segments. Despite the short distance, the route features no significant uninterrupted stretches, requiring you to stay alert and ready for frequent turns. Because the highway share is 0%, you won't be dealing with a monotonous interstate grind; instead, you will be maneuvering through the local road network. The character of the drive is defined by its constant navigation rather than high-speed cruising. Be prepared to shift your focus frequently as you wind your way toward Clifton.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.6 mi on US 46.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 46 and Essex Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 17.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles (US 46): Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Livingston, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Passaic along the way.
Passaic
16.3 mi in
|
~21m
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 25m. Total distance: 17.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.6 miles on US 46. 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: at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles (US 46): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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