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Trip from Paterson, NJ to Shrewsbury, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 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

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 5m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m

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 and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Shrewsbury, NJ, NJ

Shrewsbury, NJ

MINEIA MARTINS

Trip Overview

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.

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 39.3 mi, about 51m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Shrewsbury, NJ.

1

Start on Colt Street

216 ft · 17 sec · Colt Street
2

Turn right onto Ellison Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Ellison Street
3

Turn right onto Memorial Drive

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Memorial Drive
Use the right lane.
4

Turn right

267 ft · 9 sec
5

Turn straight onto Ward Street

0.3 mi · 34 sec · Ward Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on NJ 19

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Oliver Street
7

Turn slight left onto NJ 19

2.0 mi · 2 min · NJ 19
Use the slight left lane.
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward GSP South Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto GSP

24 mi · 33 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10

Continue on Garden State Parkway

6.2 mi · 8 min · Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto GSP

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Garden State Parkway
12

Keep slight right at fork onto GSP

15 mi · 17 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 1 min
Exit 109 Toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn left onto CR 520

127 ft · 2 sec · Newman Springs Road
15

Continue on CR 520

2.0 mi · 3 min · Newman Springs Road
Use the straight lane.
16

Turn right onto NJ 35

0.6 mi · 1 min · Broad Street
17

Turn left onto White Street

226 ft · 10 sec · White Street
18

Arrive at destination

White Street

Where to Stop

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

census-designated place in New Jersey, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Port Reading, NJ

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.

Pacing Suggestions

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Port Reading, NJ

Meal break

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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

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.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Ellison Street

Turn right onto Ellison Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Memorial Drive

Turn right onto Memorial Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the exit toward GSP South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward GSP South
6
34.1 mi into trip | ~47m 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
48.9 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 109 Toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.28 one way

$16.55 round trip

$4.05/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.48 $9.16 $18.32
premium $4.81 $9.82 $19.65
diesel $4.80 $9.80 $19.60

Estimated Tolls: $2.73

Garden State Parkway (45.5 mi) $2.73

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$3

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Jul 3, 2026

Origin

Paterson, NJ

Morning in Paterson on Monday

Local time

7:49 AM

EDT

Current temp

102°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

W 9 mph 32% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 3 at 5:16PM EDT until July 3 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 3 at 5:16PM EDT until July 3 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Destination

Shrewsbury, NJ

Morning in Shrewsbury on Monday

Local time

7:49 AM

EDT

Current temp

101°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 10 mph 26% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 3 at 5:16PM EDT until July 3 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 3 at 5:16PM EDT until July 3 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

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

1h 10m 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 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.

91% 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: 39.3 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 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.

Driving Effort 8/10

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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

242 ft 10 ft

Total Climb

431 ft

Total Descent

483 ft

Highest Point

242 ft

~44.5 mi in

Elevation Range

231 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

2.8 mi in | ~4m

Cr 520: Red Bank

48.9 mi in | ~1h 4m

Lincroft

48.9 mi in | ~1h 4m

About the Cities

Starting in Paterson, NJ

Full guide →

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

  • • Great Falls — waterfalls on the Passaic River
  • • Passaic County Court House — courthouse in Paterson, New Jersey
  • • Lambert Castle — historic building in Paterson, New Jersey

Arriving in Shrewsbury, NJ

Full guide →

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

  • • Allen House — historic house in Shrewsbury, New Jersey

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 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 39.3 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.73 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 10 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 Shrewsbury, 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 (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.

Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 Shrewsbury, 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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