Origin
Union, NJ
Late night in Union on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, NJ to Elmwood Park, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
18.3 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Elmwood Park, NJ
Thomas Parker
Trip Overview
Union, NJ to Elmwood Park, NJ is 18.3 miles and takes about 27 minutes via Garden State Parkway and US 46, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey, making it an easy local excursion. Primarily a highway-focused drive, you'll spend most of your time on faster-paced roads. It's a straightforward journey, ideal for a short hop when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| US 46 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| River Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Vauxhall Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Linden Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Center Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Van Riper Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 13.4 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Elmwood Park, NJ.
1
Start on Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
17 sec
·
Harding Avenue
2
Turn left onto CR 630
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Vauxhall Road
3
Turn slight left
105 ft
·
8 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
5
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
this road
6
Merge onto GSP
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 154
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto US 46
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
US 46
Toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
514 ft
·
12 sec
Toward CR 507 North: River Drive, Ridgewood
Use the right lane.
11
Turn straight onto CR 507
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
River Drive
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto CR 56
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
13
Turn slight left onto CR 105
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Van Riper Avenue
14
Turn left onto South Center Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
South Center Street
15
At end of road, turn right onto Linden Avenue
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Linden Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Linden Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 17.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll North
Navigation decision point
Toward GSP Toll North
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
14.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 154
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
7
16.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46 toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
8
17.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward CR 507 North: River Drive, Ridgewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward CR 507 North: River Drive, Ridgewood
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.03 one way
$6.07 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.32 | $6.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.55 | $7.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.81
Garden State Parkway
(13.4 mi)
$0.81
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Elmwood Park, NJ
Late night in Elmwood Park on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
14 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
27m 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 overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 87% of the drive taking place on faster roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 13.4 miles on the Garden State Parkway, offering a consistent, high-speed experience for a good portion of your trip. Expect a driving personality dominated by the efficiency of major roadways, with US 46 and River Drive providing the final connections into Elmwood Park. This isn't a winding scenic byway, but rather a direct path designed for getting you there quickly.
87% 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: 13.4 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US 46. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 18.3 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 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 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, NJ to Elmwood Park, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Ridgewood along the way.
Ridgewood
17.1 mi in
|
~24m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 18.3 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 (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.81 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. 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 Elmwood Park, 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 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Elmwood Park, 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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