Origin
Ridgefield Park, NJ
Morning in Ridgefield Park on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ridgefield Park, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ridgefield Park, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
New Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ridgefield Park to New Brunswick is 38.3 miles and takes about 53 minutes via New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur and State Route 18, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience designed for efficient travel. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a quick day trip or a simple commute, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur | 31.6 mi | 39m |
| State Route 18 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Suydam Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Route 18 Service Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Paul Robeson Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Livingston Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Winant Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
— 31.6 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ridgefield Park, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ.
1
Start on Park Street
29 ft
·
1 sec
·
Park Street
2
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
510 ft
·
31 sec
·
Euclid Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 41
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Mount Vernon Street
4
Turn left onto Main Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Main Street
5
Continue on Main Street Bypass
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Main Street Bypass
6
Continue on Main Street
267 ft
·
10 sec
·
Main Street
7
Take the ramp
133 ft
·
5 sec
8
Turn right onto US 46
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Winant Avenue
9
Take the exit
306 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: NJ Turnpike, Teaneck Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 South: NJ Turnpike, South Only
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
14
Merge onto I 95
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; NJTP
22 mi
·
27 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
323 ft
·
7 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
19
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 18
20
Take the exit onto CR 527
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
CR 527
Toward NJ 172: New Brunswick, Cook/Douglass Campus, Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Street, Highland Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn straight onto Route 18 Service Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Route 18 Service Road
Toward NJ 18 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Turn left onto Paul Robeson Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Paul Robeson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto Suydam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Suydam Street
24
Turn left onto CR 691
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Livingston Avenue
25
Turn right onto Delavan Street
68 ft
·
3 sec
·
Delavan Street
26
Arrive at destination
Delavan Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Ridgefield 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 225 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 35.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: NJ Turnpike, Teaneck Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: NJ Turnpike, Tea...
8
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: NJ Turnpike, South Only
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 95 South: NJ Turnpike, South Only
8
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Trenton
8
34.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
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 9
Toward NJ 18 East, US 1 East: New Brunswick
8
35.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 18 North: New Brunswick, Rutgers Univ...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.35 one way
$12.70 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.43 | $14.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.43
New Jersey Turnpike
(31.6 mi)
$4.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$4
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
New Brunswick, NJ
Morning in New Brunswick on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
24 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
53m 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 route is heavily highway-focused, with 87% of the drive taking place on high-speed roads. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 31.6 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur, offering a consistent, fast-paced journey. The primary roads include the Turnpike Western Spur and State Route 18, suggesting a transition from a major toll road to a significant state highway. This driving personality means you'll spend most of your time navigating efficient, direct roadways, with minimal interruption.
87% 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: 31.6 mi on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur and State Route 18. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 22 decision points packed into just 38.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
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 Ridgefield Park, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Rutgers University along the way.
Rutgers University
35.3 mi in
|
~47m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.6 miles on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.43 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 New Brunswick, 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 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 New Brunswick, 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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