Origin
Union City, NJ
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
10:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, NJ to Lodi, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
11.9 mi
19 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lodi, NJ
Garrison Gao
Trip Overview
Union City to Lodi is 11.9 miles and takes about 18 minutes via NJ 17, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on major roadways, making it ideal for a quick errand or connecting to other nearby destinations. Given its brevity, you won't need extensive planning, but it's good to be aware of the main roads involved.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 17 | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| NJ 3 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| US 46 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Terrace Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 45th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Charlton Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 17
— 4.6 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and Lodi, 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
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
NJ 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
453 ft
·
7 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto NJ 3
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: Rutherford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: Rutherford
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto NJ 17
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on NJ 17
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
284 ft
·
7 sec
Toward Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights
Use the right lane.
15
Turn slight right onto CR 55
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Terrace Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn right onto Charlton Avenue
316 ft
·
16 sec
·
Charlton Avenue
17
Take the ramp
197 ft
·
7 sec
18
At end of road, turn right onto US 46
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
525 ft
·
23 sec
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn left onto CR 61
190 ft
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
21
Take the ramp
130 ft
·
3 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 11.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 3 West: Secaucus
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
8
5.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 17 North: Rutherford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 17 North: Rutherford
7
10.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights
7
11.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
CR 61 / Main Street
Turn left onto CR 61 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / uturn lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.97 one way
$3.95 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.16 | $4.32 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.31 | $4.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.63 | $5.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.25 | $0.57 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Lodi, NJ
Morning in Lodi on Sunday
Local time
10:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
18m 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 heavily highway-focused, with 81% of the drive taking place on major roads like NJ 17, NJ 3, and US 46. You'll experience a consistent driving pace for much of the journey, including a longest stretch of 4.6 miles on NJ 17. Expect a straightforward, efficient drive with minimal deviations from high-speed corridors. The road character remains largely consistent, prioritizing direct travel between your starting and ending points.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.6 mi on NJ 17.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 17 and NJ 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
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 17 decision points packed into just 11.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: 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 Union City, NJ and Lodi, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp West and Hasbrouck Heights.
Njtp West
0.8 mi in
|
~2m
Hasbrouck Heights
10.2 mi in
|
~14m
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 18m. Total distance: 11.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.6 miles on NJ 17. 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 Lodi, 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 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 Lodi, 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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