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Trip from Maywood, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

32m

Distance

22.3 mi

36 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 30m ★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Maywood, NJ, NJ

Maywood, NJ

James Kampeis

Downtown Elizabeth, NJ, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Maywood, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is 22.3 miles and takes about 32 minutes via NJ 21, NJ 17, and US 1, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Northeast region, specifically New Jersey, making it a convenient connection between two points. Given its brief duration and minimal mileage, this route is ideal for a quick transit or an add-on to a larger trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, so expect steady travel, but be prepared for potential traffic depending on the time of day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NJ 21 9.4 mi 14m
NJ 17 6 mi 7m
US 1 3.3 mi 4m
Maywood Avenue 1 mi 1m
NJ 3 0.9 mi <1m
Essex Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Jersey Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: NJ 21 — 9.4 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maywood, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.

1

Start on CR 59

1.0 mi · 1 min · Maywood Avenue
2

Turn right onto CR 56

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Essex Street
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 22 sec
4

Merge onto NJ 17

6.0 mi · 7 min · NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Newark Use the slight right lane.
6

Merge onto NJ 3

0.9 mi · 57 sec · NJ 3
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto NJ 21

9.4 mi · 14 min · NJ 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto US 1; US 9

0.2 mi · 17 sec · US 1; US 9
12

Continue on US 1; US 9

3.1 mi · 4 min · US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Turn right onto East Jersey Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · East Jersey Street
14

Turn right

34 ft · 2 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 9.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1.4 mi into trip | ~2m in | NJ 17

Merge onto NJ 17

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
7.5 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward NJ 3 West: Newark

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward NJ 3 West: Newark
7
8.6 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward NJ 21: Paterson, Newark

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 NJ 21: Paterson, Newark
6
9 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
8
9.1 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 21 South: Newark

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward NJ 21 South: Newark

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.70 one way

$7.39 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $4.05 $8.10
premium $4.93 $4.32 $8.65
diesel $5.61 $4.92 $9.85

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.7 0 $2.34 $1.07
Efficient EV 5.6 0 $1.95 $0.89
EV Truck/SUV 8.9 0 $3.12 $1.43

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 Apr 19, 2026

Origin

Maywood, NJ

Morning in Maywood on Tuesday

Local time

7:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

54°F

Rain Showers

NW 14 to 17 mph 88% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Destination

Elizabeth, NJ

Morning in Elizabeth on Tuesday

Local time

7:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Mostly Clear

W 2 to 17 mph 6% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

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

13 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

32m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway, with 88% of the 22.3 miles on major roads. You'll experience a solid stretch of 9.4 miles on NJ 21 before transitioning. The route features a high percentage of highway driving, meaning you'll encounter frequent exits and interchanges as you navigate between these New Jersey locations. Expect consistent speed on the main arteries, with the remainder of the trip on surface streets.

88% 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: 9.4 mi on NJ 21.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 21 and NJ 17. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near NJ 17.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 22.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (NJ 17): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

On the drive from Maywood, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Newark along the way.

Newark

8.6 mi in | ~10m

About the Cities

Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ

Full guide →

Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 32m. Total distance: 22.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.4 miles on NJ 21. 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 Elizabeth, 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 1.4 miles (NJ 17): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Elizabeth, 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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