Origin
Hackensack, NJ
Late night in Hackensack on Friday
Local time
3:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hackensack, NJ to Paterson, NJ
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
13m
Distance
8.6 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 12m
★
6 AM
0h 13m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 14m
12 PM
0h 14m
3 PM
0h 14m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hackensack, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 8.6-mile drive from Hackensack to Paterson, New Jersey, will only take you about 13 minutes to complete, making it a very manageable trip. The estimated fuel cost is a low $1, and with no overnight stays recommended, it's perfect for a quick local excursion within the Northeast region. You'll primarily navigate local roads, as this route has a 0% highway share. Prepare for a drive that's more about navigating local streets than cruising on open highways, with a turn-heavy profile that keeps you engaged. This trip is straightforward, designed for efficiency and ease.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 13m. Total distance: 8.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with the entirety of your journey on surface streets and no highway cruising. You'll be utilizing roads like Christopher Columbus Highway, Essex Street, and State Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.2 miles along Christopher Columbus Highway. This isn't a route for settling into a high-speed rhythm; instead, anticipate frequent intersections and traffic lights that define the character of this urban and suburban traversal. The road's personality is one of constant, albeit brief, engagement with the local infrastructure.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Christopher Columbus Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near CR 56 / Essex Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 8.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.6 miles (CR 56 / Essex Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (Riverview Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 56 / Essex Street
Turn right onto CR 56 / Essex Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Riverview Avenue
Turn left onto Riverview Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward Paterson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Paterson
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
CR 509 / Main Street
Turn left onto CR 509 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Essex Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| State Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Riverview Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Colt Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 5.2 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hackensack, NJ and Paterson, NJ.
1
Start on this road
44 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto State Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
3
Turn right onto CR 56
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Essex Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Riverview Avenue
189 ft
·
5 sec
·
Riverview Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
6
Merge onto I 80
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Paterson
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto CR 509
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
10
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colt Street
11
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.43 one way
$2.85 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.56 | $3.12 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.67 | $3.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.90 | $3.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.90 | $0.41 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.75 | $0.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
3:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
13m 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 Hackensack, NJ to Paterson, NJ covers 8.6 miles and takes about 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Christopher Columbus Highway, Essex Street, State Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.3 miles from Hackensack, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.43 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 8.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.6 miles (CR 56 / Essex Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (Riverview Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Hackensack, NJ to Paterson, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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