Origin
Elmwood Park, NJ
Afternoon in Elmwood Park on Saturday
Local time
2:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmwood Park, NJ to Edison, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, NJ
Thomas Parker
Edison, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elmwood Park, NJ to Edison, NJ covers 36.6 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, US 1, US 46 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.5 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 23.5 mi | 32m |
| US 1 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| US 46 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Plainfield Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Mola Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Fulton Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Reed Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 23.5 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmwood Park, NJ and Edison, NJ.
1
Start on Linden Avenue
128 ft
·
7 sec
·
Linden Avenue
2
Turn right onto Mola Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Mola Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
331 ft
·
9 sec
4
Merge onto US 46
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the slight right lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
519 ft
·
12 sec
Toward NJ 19 North, GSP South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto GSP
23 mi
·
32 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Continue on Garden State Parkway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 130B-A
Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 130B
Toward US 1 South: Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
US 1
13
Continue on US 1
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on US 1
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
US 1
15
Take the exit
208 ft
·
3 sec
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto Fulton Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Fulton Street
17
Turn right onto CR 529
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Plainfield Avenue
18
Turn left onto Central Avenue
345 ft
·
17 sec
·
Central Avenue
19
Turn right onto Reed Street
523 ft
·
28 sec
·
Reed Street
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Elmwood Park, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 29.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
4.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19 North, GSP South
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.
Toward NJ 19 North, GSP South
7
4.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GSP Toll South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward GSP Toll South
8
29.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
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 130B-A
Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
9
29.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 130B
Toward US 1 South: Trenton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.07 one way
$12.14 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.65 | $13.29 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.10 | $14.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.49
Garden State Parkway
(24.8 mi)
$1.49
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Edison, NJ
Afternoon in Edison on Saturday
Local time
2:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Partly Sunny
E 0 to 10 mph
0% 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
4 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
54m 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?
36.6 mi in 54m, mostly highway — 23.5 mi of that is on Garden State Parkway.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.5 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US 1. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near US 46.
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 36.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between Elmwood Park, NJ and Edison, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp South, Gsp Toll South and Trenton.
Gsp South
4.4 mi in
|
~6m
Gsp Toll South
4.5 mi in
|
~6m
Trenton
29.6 mi in
|
~41m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.5 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.49 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 Edison, 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: at 2.4 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (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 Edison, NJ before heading back.
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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