Origin
Franklin, NJ
Late night in Franklin on Friday
Local time
3:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, NJ to Paterson, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
33.2 mi
54 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, NJ
Matt Weissinger
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Franklin, NJ to Paterson, NJ covers 33.2 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 23, Christopher Columbus Highway, Main Street 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 $5.50 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 33.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 41m highway drive covering 33.2 miles, with most of the trip on NJ 23 and Christopher Columbus Highway. 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 Christopher Columbus Highway. 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
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 33.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NJ 23; CR 517): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.2 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
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.
7
27.4 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 80 East: New York
8
32.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
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 57B
Toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
8
32.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Grand Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Grand Street
7
32.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Franklin, NJ to Paterson, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.
Clifton
27.4 mi in
|
~33m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 27.3 mi | 33m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Grand Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| NJ 19 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| High Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Colt 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 Paterson, 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 left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 East: New York
Use the slight left lane.
6
Merge onto I 80
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 57B
Toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto NJ 19
474 ft
·
5 sec
·
NJ 19
9
Take the exit
313 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Grand Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
14
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colt Street
15
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.50 one way
$11.01 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.03 | $12.06 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.44 | $12.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
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
Paterson, NJ
Late night in Paterson on Friday
Local time
3:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 2 to 10 mph
5% 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
41m 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 Paterson, NJ covers 33.2 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 23, Christopher Columbus Highway, Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.6 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 $5.50 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 33.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NJ 23; CR 517): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Franklin, NJ to Paterson, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.
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.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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