Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
17.9 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
East Rutherford, NJ
Dajana Blakcori
The drive from Union, NJ to East Rutherford, NJ covers 17.9 miles and takes about 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on McCarter Highway, Garden State Parkway, Essex Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7 miles on McCarter Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| McCarter Highway | 7 mi | 8m |
| Garden State Parkway | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Essex Freeway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Union Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Hackensack Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Vauxhall Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Erie Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Garden Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and East Rutherford, NJ.
Start on Harding Avenue
Turn left onto CR 630
Turn slight left
Take the ramp
Continue on this road
Merge onto GSP
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 280
Take the exit
Turn left onto NJ 21
Take the exit
Turn straight onto CR 624
Turn straight onto CR 624
Turn slight right
Continue on Union Avenue
Enter roundabout onto CR 32
Continue on CR 32
Turn left onto CR 55
Turn left onto Garden Street
At end of road, turn left onto Boiling Springs Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.2 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 280, CR 508: Newark, The Oranges
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West, I 280 East: Orange, West Orange, Newark, Harrison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 280 East: Newark, Harrison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NJ 21: Newark, Belleville, Prudential Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Passaic Park, Clifton, Rutherford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.08 one way
$6.15 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $3.38 | $6.75 |
| premium | $5.13 | $3.61 | $7.23 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $4.21 | $8.41 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.26
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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 Union on Saturday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in East Rutherford on Saturday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Clear
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.
17.9 mi in 27m — 34% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: McCarter Highway.
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 5.2 miles in.
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 17.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
183 ft
Total Descent
204 ft
Highest Point
167 ft
~5.1 mi in
Elevation Range
166 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Union, NJ and East Rutherford, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 508: Newark, The Oranges, Orange, Newark, Harrison and Belleville - among others.
Cr 508: Newark
The Oranges
Orange
Newark
Harrison
Belleville
Prudential Center
Passaic Park
Clifton
Rutherford
Founded 1894
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County which is in the northeast part of New Jersey. Formerly known as the township of Boiling Springs, East Rutherford was renamed on May 23, 1893 when it was purchased by the Borough officers of the East Rutherford Borough. There was no change in the territory, only in the government and name. East Rutherford holds a population of approximately 10,000 residents. The small town occupies approximately 3.9 square miles and also houses hundreds of businesses and restaurants. It is still somewhat overshadowed by MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets as well as a venue for various concerts and events.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 17.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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