Origin
West Windsor, NJ
Morning in West Windsor on Sunday
Local time
6:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Windsor, NJ to Paterson, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
54.7 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Windsor, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from West Windsor to Paterson, you are looking at a 54.7-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 21 minutes to complete. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is efficient enough to manage without any overnight stops. You will primarily navigate via the Garden State Parkway, US 1, and Brunswick Pike to move through the Northeast region. Budgeting approximately $9 for fuel covers the basic costs of the trip. Because the drive is relatively short and direct, it offers a straightforward transit between these two New Jersey locations, making it a manageable task for any driver.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 25.1 mi | 34m |
| Brunswick Pike | 12.9 mi | 18m |
| US 1 | 10.3 mi | 15m |
| NJ 19 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Washington Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Princeton-Hightstown Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Penn Lyle Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 25.1 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Windsor, NJ and Paterson, NJ.
1
Start on Ziff Lane
475 ft
·
22 sec
·
Ziff Lane
2
Turn right onto Princeton Place
378 ft
·
22 sec
·
Princeton Place
3
Turn left onto Canoe Brook Drive
406 ft
·
19 sec
·
Canoe Brook Drive
4
Turn right onto Penn Lyle Road
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Penn Lyle Road
5
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Clarksville Road
6
Turn left onto CR 526; CR 571
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Princeton-Hightstown Road
7
Turn right onto CR 526; CR 571
247 ft
·
5 sec
·
Washington Road
8
Continue on CR 526; CR 571
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Road
9
Enter roundabout onto US 1
76 ft
·
4 sec
·
Brunswick Pike
10
Continue on US 1
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Brunswick Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
504 ft
·
7 sec
·
US 1
Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
366 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
15
Continue on US 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
16
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 1
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on US 1
5.9 mi
·
9 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
20
Merge onto GSP
25 mi
·
34 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
21
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
22
Merge onto NJ 19
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 19
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
313 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
24
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Grand Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
25
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Turn left onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
27
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
28
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colt Street
29
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from West Windsor, 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 235 decision points cluster between mile 15.8 and 54.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|New...
7
15.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Paterson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
8
54 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Grand Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Grand Street
7
54.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.07 one way
$18.14 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.93 | $19.86 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.61 | $21.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.08 | $24.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.51
Garden State Parkway
(25.1 mi)
$1.51
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.66 | $3.50 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Paterson, NJ
Morning in Paterson on Sunday
Local time
6:00 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
16 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
1h 21m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as roughly 68% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on high-speed roads. The character of the drive shifts from local access routes like Brunswick Pike to the more sustained pace of the Garden State Parkway. You will encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 25.1 miles once you merge onto the Parkway, which defines the main flow of your commute. While the start and end points involve navigating local infrastructure, the bulk of your travel is designed for steady movement rather than technical twists or scenic sightseeing. This is a practical, functional drive that prioritizes speed and efficiency over leisurely pacing.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.1 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Brunswick Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.8 miles in near US 1.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.7 miles you will encounter 23 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.8 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.9 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.6 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.
Between West Windsor, NJ and Paterson, NJ, road signs point toward Newark|Newark, Camden, New Brunswick|Newark and New Brunswick.
Newark|Newark
15.8 mi in
|
~25m
|
via US 1
Camden
15.8 mi in
|
~25m
|
via US 1
New Brunswick|Newark
15.8 mi in
|
~25m
|
via US 1
New Brunswick
15.8 mi in
|
~25m
|
via US 1
About the Cities
Starting in West Windsor, NJ
Full guide →West Windsor is a township of 28,000 people (2019) in New Jersey. It is among the highest-income municipalities in New Jersey. It is largely made up of expensive houses in carefully groomed developments.
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 1h 21m. Total distance: 54.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.51 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 Paterson, 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 15.8 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.9 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 Paterson, 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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