Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
40.8 mi
66 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lawrence, NJ
James Kampeis
If you are planning a quick excursion from Toms River to Lawrence, you can expect a manageable 40.8-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. Because this is a short trip, it works perfectly as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate via the Central Jersey Expressway, Lakewood Road, and Whitesville Road. With a fuel cost of approximately $7, the route is quite budget-friendly for a quick regional transit. Both the starting point and destination are located within the Northeast, ensuring a familiar driving environment throughout the trip. It is a straightforward, practical connection that avoids the need for extensive planning, making it an ideal choice for a stress-free day of travel.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Jersey Expressway | 13.5 mi | 15m |
| Lakewood Road | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Whitesville Road | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| East Veterans Highway | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Cedar Swamp Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Hughes Drive | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| Robbinsville-Allentown Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Nottingham Way | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Toms River, NJ and Lawrence, NJ.
Start on this road
Turn right onto NJ 166
Continue on NJ 166
Turn left onto CR 622
Turn right onto CR 527
At end of road, turn left onto CR 527; CR 528
Continue on CR 527
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 195
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto CR 526
Continue on CR 526
Turn straight onto (618)
Turn right onto Mercer Street
Turn left onto Hughes Drive
At end of road, turn right onto CR 533
Continue on CR 533
Turn left onto CR 608
Turn right onto Fountayne Boulevard
Continue on Fountayne Boulevard
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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.
A short stop after about 40.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Toms River, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 31.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto CR 622 / Cox Cro Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto CR 527 / Whitesville Road
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto CR 527; CR 528 / East Veterans Highway
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward CR 526: Allentown, Robbinsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward CR 526 West: Robbinsville, Industrial Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.76 one way
$13.53 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.41 | $14.82 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.91 | $15.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Toms River on Sunday
Local time
7:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Lawrence on Sunday
Local time
7:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Patchy Frost then Sunny
45°F
Manalapan, NJ
20 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a mixed driving experience that balances local navigation with faster transit. Approximately 33% of your journey will be spent on highways, providing a nice change of pace from the local roads. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Central Jersey Expressway, which spans 13.5 miles. As you transition between the various roads, the feel behind the wheel shifts from the steady flow of the expressway to the more localized traffic patterns of Lakewood and Whitesville Roads. This combination keeps the drive engaging without becoming overly monotonous, offering a functional blend of speed and steady maneuvering.
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 5.5 miles in near CR 622 / Cox Cro Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 5.5 miles (CR 622 / Cox Cro Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (CR 527 / Whitesville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (CR 527; CR 528 / East Veterans Highway): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
192 ft
Total Descent
151 ft
Highest Point
173 ft
~26.2 mi in
Elevation Range
151 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Toms River, NJ and Lawrence, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 526: Allentown, Robbinsville, Cr 526 West: Robbinsville and Industrial Park.
Cr 526: Allentown
Robbinsville
Cr 526 West: Robbinsville
Industrial Park
Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 40.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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