Origin
Glen Gardner, NJ
Afternoon in Glen Gardner on Friday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glen Gardner, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
46.9 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glen Gardner, NJ
James Kampeis
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Glen Gardner to Elizabeth, NJ? This 46.9-mile drive should take you about 1 hour, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and NJ 31, with a bit of Spring Street mixed in. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, it’s an economical option for getting between these two Northeast locations. The highway-focused profile means you'll cover ground efficiently. Since it's a short drive, you have the flexibility to leave whenever you like and arrive without feeling rushed.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route leans heavily towards highway driving, with 89% of it on faster roads. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 36.2 miles on the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, allowing for a steady pace. The drive offers a highway-focused profile, meaning you'll spend most of your time on well-maintained expressways designed for efficiency. While not a winding scenic byway, it's a straightforward path that gets you where you need to go without many detours or complicated turns.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 36.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and NJ 31. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Sanatorium Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Sanatorium Road): Navigation decision point; at 19.5 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.1 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Sanatorium Road
Turn right onto Sanatorium Road
Navigation decision point
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
36.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
41.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward Hillside, Irvington
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 54
Toward Hillside, Irvington
8
42 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Hillside
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Glen Gardner, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Hillside and Irvington.
Hillside
41.9 mi in
|
~50m
Irvington
41.9 mi in
|
~50m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 36.2 mi | 41m |
| NJ 31 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| Spring Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Broad Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Hillside Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Liberty Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| ramp to I-78/US 22 East | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
— 36.2 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glen Gardner, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Gardner Lane
31 ft
·
2 sec
·
Gardner Lane
2
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
56 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto Sanatorium Road
377 ft
·
21 sec
·
Sanatorium Road
4
Turn left onto NJ 31
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
NJ 31
5
Take the exit onto ramp to I-78/US 22 East
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
ramp to I-78/US 22 East
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Newark
6
Merge onto I 78; US 22
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 78
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 54
Toward Hillside, Irvington
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
Toward Hillside
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on Winans Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Winans Avenue
12
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Liberty Avenue
13
Turn left onto CR 628
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
14
Continue on CR 628
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
15
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
16
Turn left onto NJ 439
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
17
Turn right onto Spring Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Spring Street
18
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
19
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.5 mi from Glen Gardner, NJ · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Glen Gardner, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
The final approach into Elizabeth, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.78 one way
$15.55 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.52 | $17.03 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.10 | $18.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Afternoon in Elizabeth on Friday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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 Glen Gardner, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, NJ 31, Spring 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 23.5 miles from Glen Gardner, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.78 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Sanatorium Road): Navigation decision point; at 19.5 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.1 miles (I 78 / Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Glen Gardner, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Hillside and Irvington.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Elizabeth, NJ
More from Glen Gardner, NJ
More trips to Elizabeth, NJ
Explore more options from Glen Gardner, NJ or browse trips ending in Elizabeth, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.