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Trip from Union City, NJ to Bradley Gardens, 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

45.3 mi

73 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
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.

city in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States

Union City, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Bradley Gardens, NJ, NJ

Bradley Gardens, NJ

Mike Norris

Trip Overview

Union City, NJ to Bradley Gardens, NJ is 45.3 miles and takes about 1 hour via Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and I 287, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward, highway-focused drive, making it an easy option for a quick trip. With a duration of just 1 hour, you'll likely find this route convenient for a short errand or connecting to another journey without a significant time commitment. Consider this drive when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently within the state.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway 26.9 mi 31m
New Jersey Turnpike 6.2 mi 8m
I 287 2.3 mi 2m
US 202 1.8 mi 2m
Old York Road 0.9 mi 2m
NJ 495 0.7 mi 1m
First Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
John F. Kennedy Boulevard 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway — 26.9 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and Bradley Gardens, NJ.

1

Start on 45th Street

0.1 mi · 33 sec · 45th Street
2

Turn left onto CR 501

0.5 mi · 1 min · John F. Kennedy Boulevard
3

Turn slight left

0.1 mi · 26 sec
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward NJ 495 West, NJTP West
5

Continue on this road

374 ft · 11 sec · this road
Toward NJ 495 West
6

Merge onto NJ 495

0.7 mi · 1 min · NJ 495
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 95 South: Newark
8

Merge onto I 95

5.6 mi · 7 min · New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP

0.5 mi · 42 sec · New Jersey Turnpike
Toward I 95 South Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

1.1 mi · 1 min
Exit 14-14C Toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Holland Tunnel Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 23 sec
Exit 14 Toward I 78 West, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport
12

Merge onto I 78

379 ft · 4 sec · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway Tolls
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 78

9.1 mi · 10 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 78

0.2 mi · 11 sec · I 78
Toward I 78 West: Clinton Use the slight left lane.
15

Merge onto I 78

18 mi · 20 min · Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 43 sec
Exit 29 Toward I 287: Morristown, Somerville Use the slight right lane.
17

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 1 min
Toward I 287 South, US 202 South, US 206 South: Somerville Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
18

Merge onto I 287

2.3 mi · 2 min · I 287
19

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 42 sec
Exit 17 Toward US 202 South, US 206 South: Somerville, Flemington Use the slight left / straight lanes.
20

Merge onto US 202; US 206

1.8 mi · 2 min · US 202; US 206
21

Take the exit

482 ft · 19 sec
Toward CR 567: Raritan
22

Turn left onto CR 567

0.6 mi · 1 min · First Avenue
Use the straight lane.
23

Turn right onto CR 567

0.1 mi · 17 sec · West Somerset Street
24

Continue on CR 567

0.9 mi · 2 min · Old York Road
25

Turn right onto Maple Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Maple Street
26

Arrive at destination

Maple Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

23 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

Concord, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cranford, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.6 miles from Union City, 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 21

5 decision points cluster between mile 8 and 40.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
8 mi into trip | ~12m in | NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike

Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike toward I 95 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 95 South
8
8.6 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Holland Tunnel

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 14-14C Toward I 78, US 1, US 9: Newark Airport, Hollan...
8
37.1 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward I 287: Morristown, Somerville

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 29 Toward I 287: Morristown, Somerville
8
37.6 mi into trip | ~47m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 287 South, US 202 South, US 206 South: Somerville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 287 South, US 202 South, US 206 South:...
8
40.9 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward US 202 South, US 206 South: Somerville, Flemington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 17 Toward US 202 South, US 206 South: Somerville,...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.51 one way

$15.02 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.23 $16.45
premium $4.93 $8.79 $17.57
diesel $5.61 $10.00 $20.00

Estimated Tolls: $0.86

New Jersey Turnpike (6.2 mi) $0.86

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$1

Total

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.6 0 $4.76 $2.17
Efficient EV 11.3 0 $3.96 $1.81
EV Truck/SUV 18.1 0 $6.34 $2.90

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Union City, NJ

Morning in Union City on Sunday

Local time

8:11 AM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bradley Gardens, NJ

Morning in Bradley Gardens on Sunday

Local time

8:11 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°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

23 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 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 driving, with 84% of it on major expressways like the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and I 287. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 26.9 miles on the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, offering a consistent pace. The overall feel is that of a typical highway commute, designed for efficient travel rather than scenic exploration. Expect to maintain highway speeds for the majority of your journey, with minimal transitions to local roads.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.9 mi on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8 miles in near NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike.

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 45.3 miles you will encounter 21 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 8 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Union City, NJ and Bradley Gardens, NJ, road signs point toward Somerville and Flemington.

Somerville

37.1 mi in | ~47m

Flemington

40.9 mi in | ~51m

About the Cities

Starting 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. Total distance: 45.3 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.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 26.9 miles on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.86 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 Bradley Gardens, 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 8 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls 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 Bradley Gardens, 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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