Origin
Helmetta, NJ
Morning in Helmetta on Friday
Local time
9:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Helmetta, NJ to Edison, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
13.1 mi
21 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Helmetta, NJ
Garrison Gao
Edison, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 13.1-mile drive from Helmetta, NJ, to Edison, NJ, is easily manageable in just 23 minutes, making it perfect for a quick day trip. You'll primarily navigate using State Route 18 and US 1, with a nearly 50% highway share, offering a straightforward journey. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $2, so you won't need to worry about breaking the bank on gas. Given the minimal distance and time commitment, no overnight stays are necessary. This route is ideal for a convenient local hop within the Northeast region of New Jersey.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 13.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with nearly half of it on highways. You'll experience stretches on State Route 18, including one continuous segment of 4.8 miles, likely offering a faster pace. Other sections will involve Summerhill Road and US 1, which may present more local traffic or varied speed limits. The road character will shift as you transition between these different thoroughfares, offering a dynamic, though not overly complex, driving experience. It's a practical progression from one point to another without significant scenic detours.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Route 18 is the longest continuous segment at about 4.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Maple 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 13.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CR 615 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (CR 613 / Summerhill Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Maple Street
At end of road, turn left onto Maple Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 615 / Main Street
Turn left onto CR 615 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
CR 613 / Summerhill Road
Turn left onto CR 613 / Summerhill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
CR 617 / Rues Lane
Turn right onto CR 617 / Rues Lane
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
9.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward US 1 North: Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1 North: Newark
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 18 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Summerhill Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| US 1 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Plainfield Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Manalapan Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Rues Lane | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Reed Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Route 18
— 4.8 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Helmetta, NJ and Edison, NJ.
1
Start on this road
205 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Maple Street
215 ft
·
15 sec
·
Maple Street
3
Turn left onto CR 615
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
4
Continue on CR 615
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Manalapan Road
5
Continue on CR 615
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Main Street
6
Turn left onto CR 613
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Summerhill Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn right onto CR 617
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Rues Lane
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto NJ 18
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
State Route 18
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 1 North: Newark
Use the left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
11
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on US 1
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 1
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on US 1
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 1
14
Turn right
462 ft
·
39 sec
15
At end of road, turn left onto CR 529
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Plainfield Avenue
16
Turn left onto Central Avenue
345 ft
·
17 sec
·
Central Avenue
17
Turn right onto Reed Street
523 ft
·
28 sec
·
Reed Street
18
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.17 one way
$4.34 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.38 | $4.76 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.54 | $5.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Morning in Edison on Friday
Local time
9:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
27 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
23m 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 Helmetta, NJ to Edison, NJ covers 13.1 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Route 18, Summerhill Road, US 1. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.6 miles from Helmetta, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.17 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 13.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CR 615 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (CR 613 / Summerhill Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Helmetta, NJ to Edison, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area.
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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