Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Night in Elizabeth on Thursday
Local time
11:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Oakland, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
46m
Distance
31.1 mi
50 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Oakland, NJ covers 31.1 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 21, NJ 3, NJ 23 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.5 miles on NJ 21. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.16 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 46m highway drive covering 31.1 miles, with most of the trip on NJ 21 and NJ 3. The longest continuous stretch is about 9.5 miles on NJ 21.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NJ 21 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 21 and NJ 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near US 1; US 9.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (US 1; US 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (NJ 21): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 1; US 9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1; US 9
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
3.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
NJ 21
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 21 toward NJ 21, US 22: Newark, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 21, US 22: Newark, Downtown
8
13 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward NJ 3: Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9
Toward NJ 3: Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
7
13.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
5
21.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water Gap, Butler
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water G...
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 Oakland, NJ, road signs point toward Downtown and Butler.
Downtown
3.5 mi in
|
~5m
|
via NJ 21
Butler
21.8 mi in
|
~30m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 21 | 9.5 mi | 14m |
| NJ 3 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| NJ 23 | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Black Oak Ridge Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| US 1 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Terhune Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Spring Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 21
— 9.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Oakland, NJ.
1
Start on this road
34 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
3
Turn left onto US 1; US 9
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Spring Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1; US 9
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1; US 9
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 21
9.5 mi
·
14 min
·
NJ 21
Toward NJ 21, US 22: Newark, Downtown
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 9
Toward NJ 3: Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on NJ 3
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto US 46
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 46
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water Gap, Butler
11
Merge onto NJ 23
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Black Oak Ridge Road
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 202
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Black Oak Ridge Road
14
Turn left onto US 202
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto US 202
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Terhune Drive
16
Continue on US 202
348 ft
·
5 sec
·
Ramapo Valley Road
17
Arrive at destination
US 202
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.6 mi from Elizabeth, NJ · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.6 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Oakland, NJ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Oakland, NJ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.16 one way
$10.31 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.65 | $11.29 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.03 | $12.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.87 | $13.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.05
Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike
(0.8 mi)
$0.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.27 | $1.49 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.72 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Oakland, NJ
Night in Oakland on Thursday
Local time
11:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°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
5 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
46m 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 Oakland, NJ covers 31.1 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 21, NJ 3, NJ 23. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.6 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 $5.16 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 13 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (US 1; US 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (NJ 21): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Elizabeth, NJ and Oakland, NJ, road signs point toward Downtown and Butler.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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