Origin
Tenafly, NJ
Afternoon in Tenafly on Sunday
Local time
1:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tenafly, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
16.3 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tenafly, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 16.3-mile drive from Tenafly, NJ, to Clifton, NJ, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 25 minutes. You'll primarily navigate via US 46, NJ 4, and the Garden State Parkway, with a significant portion, 53%, being highway driving. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $3, making it a budget-friendly option. Given its brevity and mixed driving profile, it's best suited as a quick transfer or an add-on to a larger trip rather than a standalone day trip. Both locations are situated within the Northeast region, offering a familiar driving experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| NJ 4 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Garden State Parkway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| New Bridge Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South Washington Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Riveredge Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 46
— 3.3 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tenafly, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on CR 501
66 ft
·
2 sec
·
County Road
2
Turn right onto Jay Street
471 ft
·
22 sec
·
Jay Street
3
Continue on Riveredge Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Riveredge Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on CR 70
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
5
Turn left onto CR 39
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Washington Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto CR 49
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
New Bridge Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on CR 49
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Roemer Avenue
8
Continue on CR 49
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
New Bridge Road
9
Turn straight
244 ft
·
9 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto CR 503
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Main Street
11
At end of road, turn right
405 ft
·
11 sec
12
Take the ramp
292 ft
·
8 sec
Toward NJ 4 West
13
Merge onto NJ 4
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
NJ 4
Use the right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward Paramus Road South
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto CR 62
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Paramus Road
16
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the right lane.
17
Merge onto GSP
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Garden State Parkway
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 157
Toward US 46 West: Garfield
Use the slight right lane.
19
Merge onto US 46
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto NJ 19; CR 509
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
NJ 19; CR 509
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Turn left onto CR 614
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
25
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
26
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
27
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
28
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 14.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR 49 / New Bridge Road
Turn right onto CR 49 / New Bridge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
7.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward Paramus Road South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Paramus Road South
7
11 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward US 46 West: Garfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 157
Toward US 46 West: Garfield
6
12.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
14.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.70 one way
$5.40 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.96 | $5.92 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.16 | $6.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.60 | $7.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Garden State Parkway
(2.3 mi)
$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Clifton, NJ
Afternoon in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
1:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 12 mph
4% 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
43 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
25m 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?
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, with a substantial 53% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.3 miles on US 46, indicating periods of consistent travel. This drive is characterized by a blend of faster highway segments and potentially more local road interactions as you transition between major arteries like US 46, NJ 4, and the Garden State Parkway. The road's personality shifts, offering both efficient travel and moments of navigating more typical suburban thoroughfares.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.3 mi on US 46.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near CR 49 / New Bridge Road.
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 20 decision points packed into just 16.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (CR 49 / New Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Tenafly, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Paramus Road South and Gsp Toll South.
Paramus Road South
7.9 mi in
|
~12m
Gsp Toll South
8.4 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, 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 25m. Total distance: 16.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.3 miles on US 46. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.14 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. 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 Clifton, 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 2.8 miles (CR 49 / New Bridge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Clifton, 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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