Origin
Westfield, NJ
Afternoon in Westfield on Tuesday
Local time
1:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westfield, NJ to Lakewood, 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
1h 6m
Distance
42 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westfield, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Westfield, NJ to Lakewood, NJ is 42 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via US Highway 9 and Garden State Parkway Southbound, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically in New Jersey. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a convenient option for a quick transfer or a short getaway. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a lot of fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 9 | 25.9 mi | 38m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Garden State Parkway | 5 mi | 6m |
| Central Avenue | 2.8 mi | 7m |
| Madison Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Broad Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Harrison Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Maple Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 9
— 25.9 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westfield, NJ and Lakewood, NJ.
1
Start on Maple Street
94 ft
·
6 sec
·
Maple Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Broad Street
4
Turn left onto CR 613
2.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto GSP
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 123
Toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 9
26 mi
·
38 min
·
US Highway 9
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on US 9
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
13
Turn left onto 8th Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
8th Street
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
8th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Westfield, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 42 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Harrison Avenue
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 613 / Central Avenue
Turn left onto CR 613 / Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
14.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
14.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 123
Toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge
6
42 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
8th Street
Turn left onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.96 one way
$13.93 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.63 | $15.25 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.15 | $16.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.27 | $18.55 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.67
Garden State Parkway
(11.1 mi)
$0.67
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Lakewood, NJ
Afternoon in Lakewood on Tuesday
Local time
1:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 to 10 mph
7% chance
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
2 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 6m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 88% of the route on major roadways. You'll experience a long stretch of 25.9 miles on US Highway 9. The majority of the trip will involve highway cruising, with a transition to surface roads as you approach your destination. Expect frequent exits and merges typical of highway driving in this region.
88% 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: 25.9 mi on US Highway 9.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 9 and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Harrison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (CR 613 / Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
148 ft
44 ft
Total Climb
256 ft
Total Descent
310 ft
Highest Point
148 ft
~30 mi in
Elevation Range
104 ft
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 Westfield, NJ to Lakewood, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.
Gsp Toll South
3.4 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lakewood, NJ
Full guide →Lakewood is a town in Ocean County, New Jersey.
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 6m. Total distance: 42 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.9 miles on US Highway 9. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.67 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 Lakewood, 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: near the start (Harrison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (CR 613 / Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 Lakewood, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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