Origin
Union, NJ
Late night in Union on Tuesday
Local time
4:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, NJ to Lodi, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 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 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Lodi, NJ
Garrison Gao
Trip Overview
Union, NJ to Lodi, NJ is 19.7 miles and takes about 28 minutes via Garden State Parkway and US 46, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically New Jersey, making it a straightforward local journey. Given its brief duration and highway focus, this route is ideal for a quick errand or a simple transfer between nearby points. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, so expect consistent speed and minimal scenic detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| US 46 | 5 mi | 6m |
| Vauxhall Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Harding Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <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 Lodi, 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
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
US 46
Toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
312 ft
·
8 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
153 ft
·
6 sec
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 61
203 ft
·
4 sec
·
Main Street
13
Take the ramp
130 ft
·
3 sec
Use the right lane.
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 19.6 — 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
19.6 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.27 one way
$6.53 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.58 | $7.15 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
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: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Late night in Lodi on Tuesday
Local time
4:49 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
28m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with a substantial 94% of the journey utilizing major roadways like the Garden State Parkway and US 46. You'll experience a consistent pace, especially during the longest stretch of 13.4 miles on the Garden State Parkway. Vauxhall Road offers a brief change of pace before you rejoin the faster-paced highway segments. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, prioritizing directness over leisurely cruising.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 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?
9/10
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
9/10
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 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). 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 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 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. 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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