Origin
Franklin, NJ
Evening in Franklin on Thursday
Local time
8:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
44m
Distance
33.9 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, NJ
Matt Weissinger
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Franklin, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 33.9 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 23, US 46, Van Houten Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.3 miles on NJ 23. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.62 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 33.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 44m highway drive covering 33.9 miles, with most of the trip on NJ 23 and US 46. The longest continuous stretch is about 27.3 miles on NJ 23.
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.
NJ 23 is the longest continuous segment at about 27.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and US 46. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NJ 23; CR 517.
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 12 decision points packed into just 33.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NJ 23; CR 517): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NJ 23; CR 517
Turn right onto NJ 23; CR 517
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
21.2 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
NJ 23
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
27.4 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
5
27.4 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 46 East: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
7
32.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 27.3 mi | 33m |
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| High Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 23
— 27.3 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on High Street
218 ft
·
12 sec
·
High Street
2
Turn right onto NJ 23; CR 517
21 mi
·
26 min
·
NJ 23; CR 517
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
297 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
6
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
7
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
9
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
10
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
12
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
13
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
14
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
15
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.62 one way
$11.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.16 | $12.31 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.57 | $13.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.48 | $14.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Clifton, NJ
Evening in Clifton on Thursday
Local time
8:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 12 mph
4% 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
26 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
44m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Franklin, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 33.9 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 23, US 46, Van Houten 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 17 miles from Franklin, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.62 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 12 decision points packed into just 33.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NJ 23; CR 517): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Franklin, NJ to Clifton, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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