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Trip from Ridgewood, NJ to Passaic, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

19m

Distance

12 mi

19 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 18m ★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m

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

village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States

Ridgewood, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Passaic, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This short 12-mile drive from Ridgewood, NJ, to Passaic, NJ, is easily manageable in about 19 minutes, making it a perfect option for a quick trip within the Northeast region. With a modest fuel cost of around $2, this route is designed for a single day, requiring no overnight stays. The drive primarily utilizes McLean Boulevard, Lincoln Avenue, and NJ 21, offering a local feel rather than an interstate experience. Expect a turn-heavy journey that's straightforward and efficient for getting between these two New Jersey communities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
McLean Boulevard 3.8 mi 5m
Lincoln Avenue 2.9 mi 5m
NJ 21 2.8 mi 2m
Godwin Avenue 0.4 mi 1m
Paulison Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
US 46 0.4 mi <1m
2nd Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
East Ridgewood Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: McLean Boulevard — 3.8 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ridgewood, NJ and Passaic, NJ.

1

Start on East Ridgewood Avenue

0.2 mi · 39 sec · East Ridgewood Avenue
2

Turn right onto North Broad Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · North Broad Street
3

Turn left onto CR 80

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Garber Square
4

Continue on CR 80

412 ft · 14 sec · Wilsey Square
5

Continue on CR 80

0.4 mi · 1 min · Godwin Avenue
6

Turn left onto CR 69

2.9 mi · 5 min · Lincoln Avenue
7

Continue on CR 504; CR 653

518 ft · 9 sec · River Street
8

Keep slight left at fork onto CR 504; CR 653

158 ft · 9 sec · River Street
9

Turn left onto NJ 20

0.3 mi · 28 sec · 2nd Avenue
10

Continue on NJ 20

3.0 mi · 4 min · McLean Boulevard
11

Continue on NJ 20

0.8 mi · 51 sec · McLean Boulevard
12

Merge onto US 46

0.4 mi · 25 sec · US 46
13

Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 21

2.8 mi · 2 min · NJ 21
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 11 Toward Main Avenue, Passaic Use the slight right lane.
15

Turn right onto CR 601

508 ft · 11 sec · Main Avenue
16

Turn left onto CR 618

0.4 mi · 42 sec · Paulison Avenue
17

Turn right onto Passaic Avenue

95 ft · 2 sec · Passaic Avenue
18

Arrive at destination

Passaic Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Broad Street

Turn right onto North Broad Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 80 / Garber Square

Turn left onto CR 80 / Garber Square

Navigation decision point

5
4 mi into trip | ~8m in | CR 504; CR 653 / River Street

Keep slight left at fork onto CR 504; CR 653 / River Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
8.5 mi into trip | ~15m in | NJ 21

Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 21

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
11.3 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward Main Avenue, Passaic

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 Main Avenue, Passaic

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.99 one way

$3.98 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.18 $4.36
premium $4.93 $2.33 $4.65
diesel $5.61 $2.65 $5.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.6 0 $1.26 $0.58
Efficient EV 3 0 $1.05 $0.48
EV Truck/SUV 4.8 0 $1.68 $0.77

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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

Ridgewood, NJ

Morning in Ridgewood on Sunday

Local time

10:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Passaic, NJ

Morning in Passaic on Sunday

Local time

10:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

90°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 10 mph 5% chance 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

29 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

19m 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 route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 27% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.8 miles along McLean Boulevard. Expect a dynamic driving experience with frequent turns and changes in scenery as you navigate through residential and commercial areas. The progression involves moving from one local road to another, requiring your attention to navigate the various intersections and junctions effectively.

Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.8 mi on McLean Boulevard.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Broad Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 12 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (North Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CR 80 / Garber Square): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (CR 504; CR 653 / River Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 12 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

19m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 3.8 miles on McLean Boulevard. 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 Passaic, 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 0.2 miles (North Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CR 80 / Garber Square): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (CR 504; CR 653 / River Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

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 Passaic, 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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