Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Afternoon in Elizabeth on Friday
Local time
3:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Metuchen, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
12.8 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Metuchen, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 12.8 miles and takes about 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 1, Woodbridge Avenue, Grandview Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.8 miles on US 1. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 12.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 23m highway drive covering 12.8 miles, with most of the trip on US 1 and Woodbridge Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 10.8 miles on US 1.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 1 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 1 and Woodbridge Avenue. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Jersey Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 12.8 miles you will encounter 7 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 (East Jersey Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 1; US 9): Navigation decision point; at 8.5 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Jersey Street
Turn left onto East Jersey Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 1; US 9
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
Navigation decision point
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 1
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
CR 660 / Grandview Avenue
Turn right onto CR 660 / Grandview Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
12.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
NJ 27 / Middlesex Avenue
Turn left onto NJ 27 / Middlesex Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 1 | 10.8 mi | 17m |
| Woodbridge Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Grandview Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Carlton Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Middlesex Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 1
— 10.8 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Metuchen, NJ.
1
Start on this road
34 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
East Jersey Street
3
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1; US 9
4
Continue on US Route 1/9 Southbound
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Carlton Street
5
Continue on US 1; US 9
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Continue on US 1; US 9
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
US 1; US 9
7
Continue on US 1; US 9
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on US 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
11
Turn right onto CR 660
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Grandview Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on CR 660
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodbridge Avenue
13
At end of road, turn right onto CR 531
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn left onto NJ 27
209 ft
·
7 sec
·
Middlesex Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
NJ 27
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.12 one way
$4.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.32 | $4.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.48 | $4.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.83 | $5.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Metuchen, NJ
Afternoon in Metuchen on Friday
Local time
3:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
23m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Metuchen, NJ covers 12.8 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 1, Woodbridge Avenue, Grandview Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.4 miles from Elizabeth, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.12 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 12.8 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Jersey Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 1; US 9): Navigation decision point; at 8.5 miles (US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elizabeth, NJ to Metuchen, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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