Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
51.9 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Shrewsbury, NJ
MINEIA MARTINS
Paterson, NJ to Shrewsbury, NJ is 51.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via the Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick journey or as part of a larger itinerary. You'll spend most of your time on a major parkway, making it a predictable and efficient route for getting between these two locations.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 39.3 mi | 51m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Newman Springs Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| NJ 19 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ward Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oliver Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ellison Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ.
Start on Colt Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Turn right
Turn straight onto Ward Street
Continue on NJ 19
Turn slight left onto NJ 19
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
Take the exit
Turn left onto CR 520
Continue on CR 520
Turn right onto NJ 35
Turn left onto White Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Paterson, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 48.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$9.18 one way
$18.36 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $10.05 | $20.11 |
| premium | $5.24 | $10.72 | $21.43 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.73
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.27 | $3.32 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Paterson on Wednesday
Local time
5:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Chance Light Rain
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 21 at 3:51PM EDT until May 22 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Evening in Shrewsbury on Wednesday
Local time
5:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Rain Showers
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 21 at 3:51PM EDT until May 22 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This is a highway-focused drive, with 91% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend the majority of your time on the Garden State Parkway Southbound, including a longest stretch of 39.3 miles without a significant change in road type. Expect a consistent driving experience as you navigate this primarily highway profile. The journey is designed for efficiency, minimizing complexities and maximizing forward progress.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
431 ft
Total Descent
483 ft
Highest Point
242 ft
~44.5 mi in
Elevation Range
231 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Paterson, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp South, Cr 520: Red Bank and Lincroft.
Gsp South
Cr 520: Red Bank
Lincroft
Founded 1792
For the township in the Hunter region of New South Wales, see Paterson (New South Wales). Paterson is New Jersey's third largest city (about 155,000 inhabitants as of 2022), and hosts a great attraction: the Great Falls, which are very extensive and second only to Niagara Falls in terms of volume of water in waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Paterson is 12 miles away from Manhattan. It is an ethnically diverse city that houses large Hispanic, Arab, Italian-American, African American and Bengali communities. South Paterson is home to one of the nation's largest Arab communities.
Top landmarks
Shrewsbury is a sleepy suburban town of 4,200 people (2020) in eastern in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Visitors may like Shrewsbury for its boutiques and designer retailers on Route 35 and for its history.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 51.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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