Origin
Metuchen, NJ
Late night in Metuchen on Sunday
Local time
4:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Metuchen, NJ to East Orange, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
19 mi
31 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 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
East Orange, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Metuchen to East Orange is 19 miles and takes about 30m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, direct trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Primarily a highway-focused drive, it's ideal for those needing to get from point A to point B efficiently. With no planned stops and a quick travel time, this route is easily manageable for a single day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 13.3 mi | 18m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Middlesex Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Oraton Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Maybaum Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Parkway Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Speedway Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Eastern Parkway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 13.3 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Metuchen, NJ and East Orange, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 27
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Middlesex Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Continue on NJ 27
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
467 ft
·
11 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
4
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
this road
5
Merge onto GSP
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 144
Toward CR 510
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto Eastern Parkway
518 ft
·
17 sec
·
Eastern Parkway
8
Continue on Speedway Avenue
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Speedway Avenue
9
At end of road, turn left onto CR 510
511 ft
·
10 sec
·
South Orange Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
10
Turn slight right onto Maybaum Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Maybaum Avenue
11
Continue on Birchwood Avenue
362 ft
·
9 sec
·
Birchwood Avenue
12
Continue on South Oraton Parkway
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
South Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto South Oraton Parkway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Oraton Parkway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto Parkway Drive
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Parkway Drive
15
Turn sharp left onto North Arlington Avenue
343 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Arlington Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn slight left onto Parkway Drive
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Parkway Drive
17
Arrive at destination
Parkway Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 18.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
16.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward CR 510
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 144
Toward CR 510
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
CR 510 / South Orange Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto CR 510 / South Orange Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
6
17.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
South Oraton Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto South Oraton Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
North Arlington Avenue
Turn sharp left onto North Arlington Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.15 one way
$6.30 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.45 | $6.90 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.68 | $7.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.19 | $8.39 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.80
Garden State Parkway
(13.3 mi)
$0.80
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
East Orange, NJ
Late night in East Orange on Sunday
Local time
4:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Chance Rain Showers
NW 7 mph
27% chance
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
34 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
30m 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-focused, with 78% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll experience the Garden State Parkway for a significant stretch of 13.3 miles without interruption, offering a consistent driving pace. While the majority of the route is on faster roads, expect some transitions onto local arteries like Lincoln Highway and Middlesex Avenue as you approach your destination. The character is straightforward, prioritizing speed and directness over varied scenery.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Lincoln Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in near GSP / Garden State Parkway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 19 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (CR 510 / South Orange Avenue): 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.
Between Metuchen, NJ and East Orange, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North and Cr 510.
Gsp Toll North
2.7 mi in
|
~5m
Cr 510
16.4 mi in
|
~25m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m 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 13.3 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.80 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. 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 East Orange, 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 3.1 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (CR 510 / South Orange Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls 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 East Orange, 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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