Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Evening in Elizabeth on Tuesday
Local time
8:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to West Caldwell, NJ
Data updated 1 hour ago
Drive Time
31m
Distance
18.1 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
West Caldwell, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to West Caldwell, NJ covers 18.1 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Essex Freeway, Grove Street, North Broad Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.9 miles on Essex Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
9 miles from Elizabeth, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 17m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to West Caldwell, NJ covers 18.1 miles and takes about 31m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Essex Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.9 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.
Route Complexity
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 18.1 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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 7.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 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
7.6 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp toward I 280
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 280
8
7.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
8
8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
8
15 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward CR 527 North: The Caldwells, Livingston
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 5B
Toward CR 527 North: The Caldwells, Livingston
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 West Caldwell, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 527 North: The Caldwells and Livingston.
Cr 527 North: The Caldwells
15 mi in
|
~25m
Livingston
15 mi in
|
~25m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Freeway | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Grove Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Broad Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Harrison Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Passaic Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| CR 527 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Essex Freeway
— 6.9 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and West Caldwell, 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
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Grove Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 280
Use the left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 280
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Essex Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 5B
Toward CR 527 North: The Caldwells, Livingston
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto CR 527
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CR 527
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto CR 527; CR 611
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Eagle Rock Avenue
18
Turn left onto CR 527
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Roseland Avenue
19
Turn left onto CR 656
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Harrison Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
At end of road, turn right onto CR 613
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Passaic Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
CR 613
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 9 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, or about 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 18.1 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 9 miles or 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Caldwell, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elizabeth, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Elizabeth, NJ
This is one driving day of about 18.1 miles and 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Elizabeth, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Essex Freeway for about 6.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 9 mi from Elizabeth, NJ · 17m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
9 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 18.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 9 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in West Caldwell, NJ
The final approach into West Caldwell, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around West Caldwell, NJ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.00 one way
$6.00 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.29 | $6.57 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.51 | $7.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
West Caldwell, NJ
Evening in West Caldwell on Tuesday
Local time
8:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
31m 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 West Caldwell, NJ covers 18.1 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Essex Freeway, Grove Street, North Broad Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9 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 $3.00 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 demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 18.1 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 7.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Elizabeth, NJ and West Caldwell, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 527 North: The Caldwells and Livingston.
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