Origin
Rutherford, NJ
Late night in Rutherford on Sunday
Local time
4:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rutherford, 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
23m
Distance
14.4 mi
23 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rutherford, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Rutherford to Elizabeth, you are in for a quick 14.4-mile trip through Northeast New Jersey. Expect to spend about 23 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Your journey relies primarily on NJ 21, US 1, and Park Avenue to navigate the region. With a fuel budget of just $2, it is an incredibly economical route to manage. Because both locations are situated within the same state and region, the transition is seamless and straightforward. This drive is best viewed as a practical connection between two points rather than a vacation excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 21 | 9.4 mi | 14m |
| US 1 | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Park Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Marginal Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 21
— 9.4 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rutherford, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on CR 30
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue
2
Turn right onto Marginal Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Marginal Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward NJ 3 West
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto NJ 21
9.4 mi
·
14 min
·
NJ 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 1; US 9
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 1; US 9
8
Continue on US 1; US 9
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
10
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 1.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Marginal Road
Turn right onto Marginal Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West
Navigation decision point
Toward NJ 3 West
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 21 North, NJ 21 South
8
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 21 South: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
NJ 21
Merge onto NJ 21
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.39 one way
$4.77 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.61 | $5.23 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.79 | $5.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.18 | $6.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| Efficient EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
4:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
21 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
23m 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 88% of your time spent on major roads. You will find yourself cruising along NJ 21 for the longest stretch of the trip, covering 9.4 miles of uninterrupted pavement. The personality of the route is defined by its efficiency, favoring speed and directness over leisurely scenic detours. As you transition from the initial stretches onto US 1 and Park Avenue, the character shifts slightly toward typical local traffic patterns. Behind the wheel, you should be prepared for a consistent pace that prioritizes reaching your destination quickly.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.4 mi on NJ 21.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 21 and US 1. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Marginal Road.
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 8 decision points packed into just 14.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Marginal Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Rutherford, NJ
Full guide →Rutherford is a cute suburb in Bergen County, New Jersey, becoming incredibly expensive to live in.
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 23m. Total distance: 14.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.4 miles on NJ 21. 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 0.8 miles (Marginal Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 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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