Origin
Princeton Meadows, NJ
Morning in Princeton Meadows on Sunday
Local time
10:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Princeton Meadows, NJ to Paterson, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
54.8 mi
88 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
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Princeton Meadows, NJ
Mohan Nannapaneni
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Princeton Meadows to Paterson is 54.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 18 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on major parkways and turnpikes, making it a convenient option if you're looking for an efficient way to get between these two points. Expect a fairly direct journey with limited complexity, ideal for a quick transit or a shorter day trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 25.8 mi | 35m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 16.6 mi | 19m |
| Dey Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| NJ 19 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| US 130 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Forsgate Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Scotts Corner Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Plainsboro Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 25.8 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Princeton Meadows, NJ and Paterson, NJ.
1
Start on this road
285 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
157 ft
·
16 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto Hunters Glen Drive
273 ft
·
12 sec
·
Hunters Glen Drive
4
Continue on Tamarron Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Tamarron Drive
5
Turn left onto Plainsboro Road
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Plainsboro Road
6
Turn left onto Scotts Corner Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Scotts Corner Road
7
Turn right onto CR 614
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Dey Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto US 130
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 130
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NJ 32 East: Jamesburg
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on NJ 32
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Forsgate Drive
11
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJTP Toll, I 95 Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 95, NJTP North: New York City
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
17 mi
·
19 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 11
Toward US 9, GSP: Garden State Parkway, Woodbridge
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto GSP
26 mi
·
35 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
18
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Merge onto NJ 19
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 19
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
313 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Grand Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn left onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
24
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
25
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colt Street
26
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Princeton Meadows, 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 225 decision points cluster between mile 24.7 and 54.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
24.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward US 9, GSP: Garden State Parkway, Woodbridge
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 11
Toward US 9, GSP: Garden State Parkway, Woodbri...
7
25.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
7
51.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Paterson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
8
54.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Grand Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Grand Street
7
54.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.09 one way
$18.17 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.95 | $19.90 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.63 | $21.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.10 | $24.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.88
New Jersey Turnpike
(16.6 mi)
$2.33
Garden State Parkway
(25.8 mi)
$1.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$4
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.51 |
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.
Destination
Paterson, NJ
Morning in Paterson on Sunday
Local time
10:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
10 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 18m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 83% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a significant stretch of the Garden State Parkway, including a continuous 25.8-mile segment on this road. The profile suggests a drive characterized by consistent speed and limited local road interaction for the majority of the journey. While the specific transitions aren't detailed, expect the feel of a typical interstate or parkway experience for most of the 54.8 miles.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.8 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 24.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.8 miles you will encounter 22 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: at 24.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Princeton Meadows, NJ and Paterson, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll, Njtp North: New York City and Woodbridge.
Njtp Toll
6.5 mi in
|
~12m
Njtp North: New York City
7.1 mi in
|
~14m
Woodbridge
24.7 mi in
|
~35m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 54.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.8 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.88 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. 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 Paterson, 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 24.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.7 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 Paterson, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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