Origin
Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Late night in Spring Lake Heights on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spring Lake Heights, NJ to Union City, 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 23m
Distance
59.6 mi
96 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spring Lake Heights, NJ
JINISH RAJAGOPAL
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spring Lake Heights, NJ to Union City, NJ is 59.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a highway-focused experience for most of the journey. Given the short duration and minimal cost, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 25.4 mi | 30m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 14 mi | 17m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| River Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Asbury Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Route 71 | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 25.4 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spring Lake Heights, NJ and Union City, NJ.
1
Start on 4th Avenue
55 ft
·
5 sec
·
4th Avenue
2
Turn left onto Warren Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Warren Avenue
3
Turn right onto NJ 71
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Route 71
4
Merge onto NJ 35; NJ 71
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
River Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 35
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Asbury Park Circle
6
Continue on CR 16
391 ft
·
6 sec
·
Asbury Park Circle
7
Keep slight right at fork onto NJ 66; CR 16
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
8
Continue on CR 16
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Asbury Avenue
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
10
Merge onto GSP
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
12
Continue on GSP
25 mi
·
30 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 129
Toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
15
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
16
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
this road
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
18
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
14 mi
·
17 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
19
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on NJ 495
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
NJ 495
22
Take the exit
263 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
23
Continue on 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
30th Street
24
Turn left onto CR 501
296 ft
·
16 sec
·
John F Kennedy Boulevard
25
Continue on CR 501
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
26
Turn right onto 47th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
47th Street
27
At end of road, turn right onto Bergenline Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bergenline Avenue
28
Turn right onto 45th Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
45th Street
29
Arrive at destination
45th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from Spring Lake Heights, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 34.8 and 58.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
34.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
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 129
Toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
6
36 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
6
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
56.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16E
Toward NJ 495 East: Lincoln Tunnel
6
58.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward Kennedy Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Kennedy Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.88 one way
$19.76 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.82 | $21.64 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.56 | $23.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.16 | $26.32 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.35
New Jersey Turnpike
(20.2 mi)
$2.83
Garden State Parkway
(25.4 mi)
$1.52
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$4
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.34 | $3.81 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Union City, NJ
Late night in Union City on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
1 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
1h 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 route is predominantly highway-focused, with an 80% share of your driving time spent on major roadways. You'll encounter stretches of the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike, including the Eastern Spur. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll navigate is 25.4 miles on the Garden State Parkway. The character of the drive is consistent, primarily involving efficient travel on well-maintained expressways designed for longer distances.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.4 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 34.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.6 miles you will encounter 19 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 34.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.5 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between Spring Lake Heights, NJ and Union City, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Njtp: New York City, Trenton and Njtp North: New York City.
Gsp Toll North
8.6 mi in
|
~14m
Njtp: New York City
34.8 mi in
|
~47m
Trenton
34.8 mi in
|
~47m
Njtp North: New York City
35.9 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Arriving in Union City, NJ
Full guide →Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey. Union City is a small city, roughly 1.283 square miles. It is bordered by Weehawken to the east, Jersey City to the south, North Bergen to the west and north, and West New York to the north.
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 23m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.35 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 Union City, 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 34.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.5 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Union City, 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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