Origin
Morganville, NJ
Morning in Morganville on Saturday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Morganville, NJ to Union, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
26.5 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Morganville, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Trip Overview
Morganville, NJ to Union, NJ is 26.5 miles and takes about 40m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey, making it a convenient local excursion. The route is primarily highway driving, suggesting a straightforward and efficient travel experience. Given its brevity, this drive is perfect for a quick trip without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 19.9 mi | 27m |
| NJ 79 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Ravine Drive | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Morris Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Matawan Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Morristown Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harding Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 19.9 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Morganville, NJ and Union, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 79
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
NJ 79
2
Continue on NJ 79; CR 3
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 79; CR 3
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Continue on NJ 79
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto CR 6A
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Ravine Drive
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto Morristown Road
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Morristown Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on CR 626
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Matawan Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
8
Merge onto GSP
20 mi
·
27 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 22
158 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 22
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
12
Turn slight right onto NJ 82
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Morris Avenue
13
Turn slight right
507 ft
·
44 sec
14
Turn left onto NJ 82
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Morris Avenue
15
Turn right onto Harding Avenue
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Harding Avenue
16
Turn right onto CR 630
32 ft
·
4 sec
·
Vauxhall Road
17
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
10 sec
·
Harding Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Harding Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 25.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR 6A / Ravine Drive
Turn left onto CR 6A / Ravine Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Morristown Road
Turn left onto Morristown Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
25.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
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 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
6
25.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, E...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.55 one way
$9.11 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $5.00 | $9.99 |
| premium | $5.13 | $5.35 | $10.70 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $6.23 | $12.45 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.19
Garden State Parkway
(19.9 mi)
$1.19
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
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
Union, NJ
Morning in Union on Saturday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
33 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
40m 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 is predominantly highway, with 82% of the 26.5 miles on high-speed roads like the Garden State Parkway. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway at 19.9 miles on the Garden State Parkway. The route transitions to surface roads, including NJ 79 and Ravine Drive, for the remaining portion, offering a change of pace from the faster sections. Expect a good number of exits and merges as you navigate these varied road types.
82% 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: 19.9 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 79. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near CR 6A / Ravine Drive.
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 11 decision points packed into just 26.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (CR 6A / Ravine Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (Morristown Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
160 ft
10 ft
Total Climb
345 ft
Total Descent
403 ft
Highest Point
160 ft
~13.2 mi in
Elevation Range
151 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Morganville, NJ
Full guide →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 40m. Total distance: 26.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.19 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 Union, 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 2.8 miles (CR 6A / Ravine Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (Morristown Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): 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 Union, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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