Origin
Helmetta, NJ
Afternoon in Helmetta on Friday
Local time
12:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Helmetta, 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
43m
Distance
28.6 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Helmetta, NJ
Garrison Gao
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 28.6-mile drive from Helmetta to Elizabeth, New Jersey, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 43 minutes. Designed as a single-day adventure, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. The route primarily utilizes the New Jersey Turnpike and State Route 18, offering a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, this is an economical option for getting between these two Northeast locations. Expect a practical journey with minimal fuss, perfect for a quick transit.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 28.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The personality of this drive is overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 69% of the route consisting of faster roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 14.6 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike, which will likely feel like a continuous segment of travel. While Summerhill Road is also part of the main roads, the overall impression is one of efficient transit rather than winding byways. This means you're in for a fairly consistent driving experience, prioritizing getting you to your destination promptly.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
New Jersey Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 14.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike and State Route 18. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Maple Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 19 decision points packed into just 28.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (CR 613 / Summerhill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (CR 617 / Rues Lane): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 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
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.
9
9.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
8
24.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
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 13
Toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Helmetta, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike, Njtp North: New York City, Staten Island and Linden.
Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
9.1 mi in
|
~14m
Njtp North: New York City
9.4 mi in
|
~15m
Staten Island
24.6 mi in
|
~34m
Linden
26 mi in
|
~36m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | 14.6 mi | 16m |
| State Route 18 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Summerhill Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Manalapan Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| US 1 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Rues Lane | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Bayway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike
— 14.6 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Helmetta, NJ and Elizabeth, 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
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
State Route 18
9
Take the exit
487 ft
·
20 sec
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
10
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
13
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
15 mi
·
16 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
14
Take the exit
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Exit 13
Toward I 278: Elizabeth, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 278 West, NJ 439: Elizabeth, Linden
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
Toward NJ 439: Elizabeth
17
Continue on NJ 439
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Bayway
18
Turn right onto CR 623
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Broad Street
19
Turn right onto US 1; US 9
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1; US 9
20
Turn right
60 ft
·
6 sec
21
Turn right
383 ft
·
28 sec
22
Turn right
278 ft
·
22 sec
23
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Jersey Street
24
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.74 one way
$9.48 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.19 | $10.39 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.55 | $11.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.31 | $12.63 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.04
New Jersey Turnpike
(14.6 mi)
$2.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
12:21 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
4 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
43m 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 Elizabeth, NJ covers 28.6 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New Jersey Turnpike, State Route 18, Summerhill Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.3 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 $4.74 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 19 decision points packed into just 28.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (CR 613 / Summerhill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (CR 617 / Rues Lane): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Helmetta, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike, Njtp North: New York City, Staten Island and Linden.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. There are 4 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.
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