Origin
Union City, NJ
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
10:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, NJ to West Milford, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
39.2 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
West Milford, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Union City, NJ to West Milford, NJ is 39.2 miles and takes about 51 minutes via NJ 23, NJ 3, and CR 513, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Given its short duration and predominantly highway profile, it's a straightforward drive suitable for a single day. You'll find yourself on major roadways for most of the trip, making it a convenient option if you're looking for a quick transit between these two New Jersey locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 16.3 mi | 19m |
| NJ 3 | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| CR 513 | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| John F. Kennedy Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| NJ 495 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 45th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 23
— 16.3 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, NJ and West Milford, 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
10 mi
·
12 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 46
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 46
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water Gap, Butler
12
Merge onto NJ 23
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on NJ 23
12 mi
·
14 min
·
NJ 23
Use the right lane.
14
Take the exit onto CR 513
7.2 mi
·
10 min
·
CR 513
15
Turn right
40 ft
·
2 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 1.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 495 West, NJTP West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 495 West, NJTP West
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 495
Merge onto NJ 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
NJ 3
Merge onto NJ 3
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.50 one way
$13.00 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.12 | $14.24 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.60 | $15.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.65 | $17.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.7 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 | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.43 | $1.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
West Milford, NJ
Morning in West Milford on Sunday
Local time
10:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
5 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
51m 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?
With 96% of this drive on highways, expect a fast-paced experience for the majority of your travel. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 16.3 miles on NJ 23, indicating a significant segment without frequent exits. The transition from highway to surface roads will be minimal, with most of the route designed for higher speeds and direct travel. Be prepared for dense traffic patterns and frequent merging as you navigate these primary arteries.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.3 mi on NJ 23.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and NJ 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 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 11 decision points packed into just 39.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (NJ 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 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.
On the drive from Union City, NJ to West Milford, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Butler along the way.
Butler
15.5 mi in
|
~19m
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 51m. Total distance: 39.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.3 miles on NJ 23. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 West Milford, 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 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (NJ 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Milford, 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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