Origin
Trenton, NJ
Late night in Trenton on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Trenton, NJ to Lacey, 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
Distance
38.5 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lacey, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Trenton to Lacey, you are looking at a manageable 38.5-mile journey that typically takes about one hour to complete. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, meaning you can easily head out and return without needing an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, it remains a very affordable route for those traveling across the Northeast region. You will primarily navigate via Pinehurst Road, the Central Jersey Expressway, and Lacey Road. Since this route is short and straightforward, it serves as a reliable option if you need to travel between these two New Jersey locations without the hassle of a multi-day itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst Road | 8.2 mi | 12m |
| Central Jersey Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Lacey Road | 5.6 mi | 8m |
| Whiting-New Egypt Road | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Forked River Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Arena Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Allentown-Lakewood Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Sharon Station Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Pinehurst Road
— 8.2 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, NJ and Lacey, NJ.
1
Start on CR 626
6 ft
·
6 sec
·
Chambers Street
2
Turn left onto CR 606
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hamilton Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 622
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Olden Avenue
4
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 620
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Arena Drive
5
Turn right onto Hempstead Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hempstead Road
6
Turn straight onto CR 524
286 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Broad Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 195 East, NJTP: Shore Points
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Merge onto I 195
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Central Jersey Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 8
Toward CR 539: Hightstown, Allentown
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
282 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Allentown
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto CR 524; CR 539
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Main Street
12
Turn left onto CR 526 Spur
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
Allentown Bypass
13
Turn left onto CR 526
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Allentown-Lakewood Road
14
Turn right onto CR 539 ALT
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Sharon Station Road
15
Enter roundabout onto CR 539
188 ft
·
3 sec
·
Forked River Road
16
Continue on CR 539
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Forked River Road
17
Continue on CR 539
8.2 mi
·
12 min
·
Pinehurst Road
18
Continue on CR 539
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Whiting-New Egypt Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on CR 530
493 ft
·
12 sec
·
Pinewald Keswick Road
20
Turn right onto CR 614
5.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Lacey Road
21
Turn right
0.6 mi
·
3 min
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Trenton, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 10.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CR 620 / Arena Drive
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 620 / Arena Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 195 East, NJTP: Shore Points
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 195 East, NJTP: Shore Points
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway
Merge onto I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward CR 539: Hightstown, Allentown
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 8
Toward CR 539: Hightstown, Allentown
8
10.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Allentown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.38 one way
$12.77 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.99 | $13.98 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.47 | $14.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.50 | $17.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 62% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.04 | $1.85 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.37 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (62% 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
Lacey, NJ
Late night in Lacey on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
13 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
1h 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 demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Only 17% of this 38.5-mile trip involves highway driving, so you will spend the bulk of your time navigating local roads. Your longest uninterrupted segment is an 8.2-mile stretch along Pinehurst Road, which offers a brief moment of steady driving before you encounter more frequent turns. The character of the road shifts significantly as you transition from the initial local segments onto the Central Jersey Expressway. Be prepared for a driving experience that requires more steering input than a typical high-speed highway trek.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on Pinehurst Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 1.8 miles in near CR 620 / Arena Drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 38.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.8 miles (CR 620 / Arena Drive): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles (I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Trenton, NJ and Lacey, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp: Shore Points, Cr 539: Hightstown and Allentown.
Njtp: Shore Points
4 mi in
|
~7m
Cr 539: Hightstown
10.8 mi in
|
~15m
Allentown
10.8 mi in
|
~15m
About the Cities
Starting in Trenton, NJ
Full guide →Trenton is in Mercer County, and is the capital of New Jersey. The city's strategic location in between New York City and Philadelphia has historically contributed to its growth and significantly impacts local culture. Located on the Delaware River across from Pennsylvania, Trenton is the only accessible capital city in the United States to border another state.
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. Total distance: 38.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on Pinehurst Road. 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 Lacey, 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 1.8 miles (CR 620 / Arena Drive): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles (I 195 / Central Jersey Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lacey, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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