Origin
Rockaway, NJ
Morning in Rockaway on Sunday
Local time
11:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockaway, 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
26m
Distance
22.5 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockaway, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Rockaway to Paterson, you are looking at a quick 22.5-mile journey that typically takes about 26 minutes to complete. This drive stays entirely within the Northeast region of New Jersey, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You won't need to worry about overnight accommodations, as the transit time is minimal. Budgeting around $4 for fuel should easily cover the trip, regardless of your vehicle's efficiency. Because this route involves zero scheduled stops, it is a straightforward point-to-point transit that offers great flexibility for your daily schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 20.3 mi | 22m |
| Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Hibernia Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Grand Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Halsey Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| NJ 19 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 20.3 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockaway, NJ and Paterson, NJ.
1
Start on this road
46 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto CR 513
137 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto CR 513
337 ft
·
5 sec
·
Wall Street
4
Turn right onto CR 513
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Church Street
5
Continue on CR 513
491 ft
·
10 sec
·
Halsey Avenue
6
Continue on CR 513
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Hibernia Avenue
7
Keep slight right at fork onto Hibernia Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Hibernia Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 80 East
9
Merge onto I 80
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 57B
Toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto NJ 19
474 ft
·
5 sec
·
NJ 19
12
Take the exit
313 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Grand Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
17
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colt Street
18
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 21.4 and 22.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
21.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
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 57B
Toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
6
21.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
8
21.8 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
21.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
22.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
CR 509 / Main Street
Turn left onto CR 509 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.73 one way
$7.46 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.09 | $8.17 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.36 | $8.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.97 | $9.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.36 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
11:56 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
19 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
26m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that lacks any significant highway segments, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating local roads, specifically utilizing Church Street and Hibernia Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 20.3-mile segment on the Christopher Columbus Highway. Behind the wheel, you should be prepared for a consistent flow of local traffic rather than the high-speed monotony of an interstate. The experience is defined by the constant turns required to navigate these local arteries from start to finish.
Only 0% 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: 20.3 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 21.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 22.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
559 ft
84 ft
Total Climb
61 ft
Total Descent
536 ft
Highest Point
559 ft
Elevation Range
476 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 22.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m 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 20.3 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. 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 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 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (5 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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