Origin
Middletown, NJ
Late night in Middletown on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Middletown, NJ to East Franklin, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
25.3 mi
41 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Middletown, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
East Franklin, NJ
Matt Weissinger
Trip Overview
This 25.3-mile drive from Middletown, NJ, to East Franklin, NJ, is a manageable 43-minute journey, perfect for a single day trip. You'll primarily navigate State Route 18 and Old Bridge-Matawan Road, with NJ 35 also playing a role. Given the short distance and duration, no overnight split is necessary. The estimated fuel cost is around $4, making this an economical option for a quick excursion within the Northeast region. This route offers a straightforward travel experience for those looking for a brief, efficient trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 18 | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Old Bridge-Matawan Road | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| NJ 35 | 5.8 mi | 9m |
| Main Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Hamilton Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Route 18 Service Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Lower Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| New Brunswick Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
State Route 18
— 6.6 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, NJ and East Franklin, NJ.
1
Start on CR 50
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kings Highway
2
Turn left onto CR 50
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
New Monmouth Road
3
Turn left onto NJ 35
5.8 mi
·
9 min
·
NJ 35
Use the right lane.
4
Take the exit
184 ft
·
4 sec
Toward CR 516: Keyport, Matawan
5
Turn straight onto Broadway
320 ft
·
15 sec
·
Broadway
6
Continue on CR 516
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Broadway
7
Turn slight right onto CR 516
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Maple Place
8
Continue on CR 516
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lower Main Street
9
Continue on CR 516
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn right onto CR 516
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
New Brunswick Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on CR 516
5.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Old Bridge-Matawan Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on CR 516
373 ft
·
9 sec
·
Old Bridge-Englishtown Road
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
14
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
State Route 18
15
Take the exit onto CR 527
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
CR 527
Toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn straight onto Route 18 Service Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 18 Service Road
Toward NJ 18 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Toward NJ 27 South: Albany Street, Princeton
18
Turn straight onto NJ 27; CR 514
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Albany Street
19
Turn right onto CR 514; CR 527
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Easton Avenue
20
Turn left onto CR 514
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hamilton Street
21
Turn right onto North Lawrence Avenue
388 ft
·
17 sec
·
North Lawrence Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
North Lawrence Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 50 / New Monmouth Road
Turn left onto CR 50 / New Monmouth Road
Navigation decision point
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward CR 516: Keyport, Matawan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CR 516: Keyport, Matawan
5
8.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
CR 516 / New Brunswick Avenue
Turn right onto CR 516 / New Brunswick Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
22.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CR 527
Take the exit onto CR 527 toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
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.
Toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Cam...
6
23.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 27 South: Albany Street, Princeton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 27 South: Albany Street, Princeton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.19 one way
$8.39 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.59 | $9.19 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.91 | $9.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.59 | $11.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.54 | $1.62 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
East Franklin, NJ
Late night in East Franklin on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
1 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
43m 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 drive offers a mixed bag of road types, with 53% being highway driving. Expect some stretches on State Route 18, including a continuous segment of 6.6 miles, which will feel more like a traditional highway. As you transition to Old Bridge-Matawan Road and NJ 35, the character shifts to more local road conditions. This blend means you'll experience both faster travel and more varied surroundings as you make your way towards East Franklin.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.6 mi on State Route 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 50 / New Monmouth Road.
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 14 decision points packed into just 25.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 50 / New Monmouth Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.7 miles (CR 516 / New Brunswick 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 Middletown, NJ and East Franklin, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 516: Keyport, Matawan, Cook/Douglass Campus, Highland Park and Princeton.
Cr 516: Keyport
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
Matawan
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
Cook/Douglass Campus
22.2 mi in
|
~35m
|
via CR 527
Highland Park
22.2 mi in
|
~35m
|
via CR 527
Princeton
23.3 mi in
|
~37m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 25.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.6 miles on State Route 18. 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 East Franklin, 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 0.2 miles (CR 50 / New Monmouth Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.7 miles (CR 516 / New Brunswick Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East Franklin, 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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