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Trip from Passaic, NJ to Vista Center, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 23m

Distance

55.2 mi

89 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 17m ★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m

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

Best Time
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city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Passaic, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Vista Center, NJ, NJ

Vista Center, NJ

Dajana Blakcori

Trip Overview

This 55.2-mile drive from Passaic, NJ, to Vista Center, NJ, is an easy one-day trip, typically taking about 1 hour and 23 minutes. The route primarily utilizes the Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9, making it a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this drive is budget-friendly for a single day's excursion. Since both the origin and destination are within the Northeast region of New Jersey, you won't encounter significant regional shifts. This makes it a straightforward and efficient journey for anyone looking to cover this specific stretch within the state.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 21.2 mi 29m
US Highway 9 17.6 mi 26m
Garden State Parkway Southbound 6.2 mi 8m
Jackson Mills Road 5 mi 8m
Bloomfield Avenue 1.4 mi 2m
Broadway 1 mi 1m
Eltone Road 0.8 mi 3m
West Passaic Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 21.2 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Passaic, NJ and Vista Center, NJ.

1

Start on Passaic Avenue

95 ft · 7 sec · Passaic Avenue
2

Turn right onto CR 618

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Paulison Avenue
3

Turn left onto CR 622

1.0 mi · 1 min · Broadway
4

Continue on CR 622

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
5

Continue on CR 622

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
6

Continue on CR 622

0.6 mi · 55 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
Use the left lane.
7

Enter roundabout onto CR 622

160 ft · 2 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
8

Continue on CR 622

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on CR 622

411 ft · 9 sec · Darling Avenue
10

Turn right onto CR 622

0.5 mi · 50 sec · West Passaic Avenue
11

Continue on CR 652

0.4 mi · 50 sec · East Passaic Avenue
12

Turn right onto CR 655

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Watchung Avenue
13

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
14

Merge onto GSP

20 mi · 28 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on Garden State Parkway

6.2 mi · 8 min · Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto GSP

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Garden State Parkway
17

Keep slight right at fork onto GSP

0.4 mi · 29 sec · Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 123 Toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge Use the slight right lane.
19

Merge onto US 9

18 mi · 26 min · US Highway 9
Use the straight / right lanes.
20

Turn right onto Jackson Mills Road

5.0 mi · 8 min · Jackson Mills Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Turn right onto Eltone Road

0.8 mi · 3 min · Eltone Road
22

Turn left

470 ft · 34 sec
23

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Metuchen, NJ, NJ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Metuchen, NJ

28 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Passaic, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 618 / Paulison Avenue

Turn right onto CR 618 / Paulison Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
3.8 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Toward GSP Toll South
5
4 mi into trip | ~7m in | GSP / Garden State Parkway

Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
30.9 mi into trip | ~44m in | GSP / Garden State Parkway

Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
31.4 mi into trip | ~44m in

Take the exit toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge

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 123 Toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.49 one way

$18.97 round trip

$4.37/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.79 $10.41 $20.82
premium $5.13 $11.14 $22.28
diesel $5.97 $12.97 $25.94

Estimated Tolls: $1.64

Garden State Parkway (27.4 mi) $1.64

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$2

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.6 0 $5.80 $2.65
Efficient EV 13.8 0 $4.83 $2.21
EV Truck/SUV 22.1 0 $7.73 $3.53

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Passaic, NJ

Morning in Passaic on Saturday

Local time

6:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

85°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

W 5 mph 88% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued September 1 at 5:58PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 4:35PM EDT until September 2 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Vista Center, NJ

Morning in Vista Center on Saturday

Local time

6:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

NE 0 to 5 mph 62% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued September 1 at 5:58PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 4:35PM EDT until September 2 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

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

17 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

1h 23m 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?

Expect a highway-dominated drive, with 82% of your journey on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.2 miles along the Garden State Parkway. This profile suggests a route that prioritizes getting you to your destination efficiently, rather than offering winding scenic detours. While primarily on major arteries, the inclusion of US Highway 9 might introduce some brief periods of local traffic or slightly slower speeds before rejoining the parkway. Overall, the character is that of a practical, high-speed transit corridor.

82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on Garden State Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 618 / Paulison Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.2 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 618 / Paulison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

176 ft 37 ft

Total Climb

285 ft

Total Descent

268 ft

Highest Point

176 ft

~47.3 mi in

Elevation Range

139 ft

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 Passaic, NJ to Vista Center, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.

Gsp Toll South

3.8 mi in | ~6m

About the Cities

Starting in Passaic, NJ

Full guide →

Founded 1679

Passaic is a city in New Jersey.

Top landmarks

  • • People's Bank and Trust Company Building — historic building in Passaic City, New Jersey

Arriving in Vista Center, 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 1h 23m. Total distance: 55.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 23m 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 21.2 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.64 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.

Yes — we found about 11 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Vista Center, 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: near the start (CR 618 / Paulison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Vista Center, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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