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Trip from Prospect Park, NJ to Elizabeth, 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 8m

Distance

43.7 mi

70 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 3m ★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m

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

borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Prospect Park, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Elizabeth, NJ, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Embarking on a road trip from Prospect Park, NJ, to Elizabeth, NJ, covers 43.7 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This journey is perfectly suited for a single day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $7, making it an economical choice for a short excursion within the Northeast region. You'll primarily navigate via US 1 and Brunswick Pike, offering a mixed driving experience that's straightforward and efficient. This trip offers a practical way to cover ground between two New Jersey locales without significant time or financial commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 1 22.2 mi 34m
Brunswick Pike 16.8 mi 24m
Carlton Street 1.5 mi 2m
Olden Avenue 1 mi 1m
East Edgar Road 0.7 mi 1m
Brunswick Avenue 0.6 mi <1m
Prospect Street 0.4 mi 1m
East Jersey Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 1 — 22.2 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Prospect Park, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.

1

Start on Weber Avenue

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Weber Avenue
2

Turn right onto CR 627

0.4 mi · 1 min · Prospect Street
3

Turn right onto CR 622

1.0 mi · 1 min · Olden Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4

Turn left onto US 206

0.6 mi · 55 sec · Brunswick Avenue
Use the left lane.
5

Enter roundabout onto US 1 Business

299 ft · 10 sec · Brunswick Pike
6

Continue on US 1 Business

0.7 mi · 1 min · Brunswick Pike
7

Enter roundabout onto US 1 Business

123 ft · 2 sec · Brunswick Pike
8

Continue on US 1 Business

16 mi · 22 min · Brunswick Pike
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on US 1; CR 610

4.4 mi · 6 min · US 1; CR 610
10

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1

0.1 mi · 9 sec · US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1

504 ft · 7 sec · US 1
Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1

366 ft · 5 sec · US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1

2.7 mi · 3 min · US 1
14

Continue on US 1

1.0 mi · 1 min · US 1
15

Continue on US 1

0.2 mi · 16 sec · US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on US 1

0.2 mi · 19 sec · US 1
Use the right lane.
17

Continue on US 1

7.2 mi · 11 min · US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Continue on US 1

6.3 mi · 10 min · US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Edgar Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on US 1; US 9

1.5 mi · 2 min · Carlton Street
21

Turn right

60 ft · 6 sec
22

Turn right

383 ft · 28 sec
23

Turn right

278 ft · 22 sec
24

Turn right onto East Jersey Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · East Jersey Street
25

Turn right

34 ft · 2 sec
26

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

city in and county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New Brunswick, NJ

22 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

Princeton, NJ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Somerset, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Prospect Park, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 41 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 622 / Olden Avenue

Turn right onto CR 622 / Olden Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
23.2 mi into trip | ~35m in | US 1

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
23.3 mi into trip | ~35m in | US 1

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|New...
7
23.4 mi into trip | ~35m in | US 1

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
41 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | US 1; US 9 / East Edgar Road

Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9 / East Edgar Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.24 one way

$14.49 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $7.93 $15.87
premium $4.93 $8.48 $16.95
diesel $5.61 $9.65 $19.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.1 0 $4.59 $2.10
Efficient EV 10.9 0 $3.82 $1.75
EV Truck/SUV 17.5 0 $6.12 $2.80

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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 Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Prospect Park, NJ

Morning in Prospect Park on Sunday

Local time

8:11 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elizabeth, NJ

Morning in Elizabeth on Sunday

Local time

8:11 AM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

71°F

New Brunswick, NJ

22 mi in

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

24 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 8m 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 presents a mixed profile, with 51% of the journey on highways, interspersed with stretches on local roads like Brunswick Pike and Carlton Street. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 22.2 miles along US 1, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the trip. Expect a blend of faster highway driving and moments where you'll navigate through more developed areas. The road character will shift as you progress, moving from potentially more suburban routes to the busier arteries connecting these New Jersey communities. It's a drive that balances efficiency with the reality of urban and suburban transit.

51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.2 mi on US 1.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CR 622 / Olden 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 43.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.5 miles (CR 622 / Olden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Prospect Park, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark and New Brunswick.

Newark|Newark

23.3 mi in | ~35m | via US 1

Camden

23.3 mi in | ~35m | via US 1

New Brunswick|Newark

23.3 mi in | ~35m | via US 1

New Brunswick

23.3 mi in | ~35m | via US 1

About the Cities

Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ

Full guide →

Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 8m. Total distance: 43.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.2 miles on US 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Elizabeth, 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 0.5 miles (CR 622 / Olden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls 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 Elizabeth, 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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