Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Night in Elizabeth on Friday
Local time
11:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Montclair, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
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.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Montclair, NJ
James Kampeis
Trip Overview
Elizabeth, NJ to Montclair, NJ is 15.6 miles and takes about 27 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive is a mixed bag, offering a quick transition from one urban area to another. It's a straightforward journey, ideal for a quick errand or a short hop between towns without a significant time commitment. Consider this a convenient local transit rather than a grand scenic tour.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 15.6 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 (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive features a 52% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads like the Garden State Parkway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8 miles on the Garden State Parkway, allowing for a consistent pace. However, the route also incorporates local streets like Watchung Avenue and North Broad Street, introducing more varied traffic and potentially slower speeds as you approach your destination. Expect a mixed drive that shifts between highway cruising and more urban navigation.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near East Grand Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 15.6 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 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.8 miles (CR 602 / Lyons Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (Cleremont Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Grand Street
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
4.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CR 602 / Lyons Avenue
Turn left onto CR 602 / Lyons Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
5.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Cleremont Avenue
Turn left onto Cleremont Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
5.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward GSP North Toll
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward GSP North Toll
8
13.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Montclair, Nutley
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 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elizabeth, NJ and Montclair, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp North Toll and Nutley.
Gsp North Toll
5.2 mi in
|
~11m
Nutley
13.4 mi in
|
~22m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 8 mi | 11m |
| Watchung Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| North Broad Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Coit Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Chestnut Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Park Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Montclair, NJ.
1
Start on this road
34 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Jersey Street
3
Turn right onto Jefferson Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Jefferson Avenue
4
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Grand Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
6
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 27
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
7
Turn left onto CR 628
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto CR 509
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Chestnut Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on CR 509
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Coit Street
10
Turn slight left onto CR 509
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Grove Street
11
Turn left onto CR 602
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Lyons Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Cleremont Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Cleremont Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward GSP North Toll
14
Merge onto GSP
8.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn left onto CR 655
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Watchung Avenue
17
At end of road, turn left onto Park Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Park Street
18
Arrive at destination
Park Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.59 one way
$5.17 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.83 | $5.67 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.03 | $6.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.48
Garden State Parkway
(8 mi)
$0.48
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Montclair, NJ
Night in Montclair on Friday
Local time
11:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
20 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Montclair, NJ covers 15.6 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Watchung Avenue, North Broad Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.8 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 $2.59 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 is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.8 miles (CR 602 / Lyons Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (Cleremont Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Elizabeth, NJ and Montclair, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp North Toll and Nutley.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown 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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