The drive from Jersey City, NJ to Brookdale, NJ covers 14.1 miles and takes about 20m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 3, Tonnelle Avenue, US 1 Truck for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.1 miles on NJ 3.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.34 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
7.1 miles from Jersey City, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 10m into the drive
.
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 20m highway drive covering 14.1 miles, with most of the trip on NJ 3 and Tonnelle Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 8.1 miles on NJ 3.
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 3 is the longest continuous segment at about 8.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 3 and Tonnelle Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck.
Route Complexity8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 14.1 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Turn right onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hob...
8
1.5 mi into trip|~3m in|US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
7
12.5 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, Passaic, Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, Passaic,...
8
12.7 mi into trip|~17m in|CR 622 / Bloomfield Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto CR 622 / Bloomfield Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Jersey City, NJ and Brookdale, NJ, road signs point toward Secaucus, Bloomfield, Passaic and Clifton.
Secaucus
1.4 mi in|~2m
Bloomfield
12.5 mi in|~16m
Passaic
12.5 mi in|~16m
Clifton
12.5 mi in|~16m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NJ 3
8.1 mi
9m
Tonnelle Avenue
2.3 mi
2m
US 1 Truck
1.6 mi
2m
West Passaic Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Bloomfield Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Broad Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Irwin Place
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
NJ 3
— 8.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jersey City, NJ and Brookdale, NJ.
1
Start on Olean Avenue
316 ft·15 sec·Olean Avenue
2
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi·50 sec·Duncan Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.9 mi·1 min·US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
169 ft·4 sec·US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Secaucus, Lincoln TunnelUse the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi·55 sec·US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln TunnelUse the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto US 1; US 9
2.3 mi·2 min·Tonnelle Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto NJ 3
8.1 mi·9 min·NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi·27 sec
Toward Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, Passaic, CliftonUse the slight right lane.
10
At end of road, turn left onto CR 622
0.2 mi·22 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on CR 622
411 ft·9 sec·Darling Avenue
12
Turn right onto CR 622
0.9 mi·1 min·West Passaic Avenue
13
Turn right onto CR 509
0.1 mi·16 sec·Broad Street
14
Turn left onto Irwin Place
473 ft·20 sec·Irwin Place
15
Arrive at destination
Irwin Place
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 7.1 miles from Jersey City, NJ, or about 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 8.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 14.1 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 7.1 miles or 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brookdale, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jersey City, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Jersey City, NJ
This is one driving day of about 14.1 miles and 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Jersey City, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on NJ 3 for about 8.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 7.1 mi from Jersey City, NJ
· 10m into the drive
The midpoint is around 7.1 miles from Jersey City, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Brookdale, NJ
The final approach into Brookdale, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Brookdale, NJ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 12.6
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 14.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.34 one way
$4.68 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg5 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$2.56
$5.12
premium
$4.93
$2.73
$5.47
diesel
$5.61
$3.11
$6.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$27–$52
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 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
4.2
0
$1.48
$0.68
Efficient EV
3.5
0
$1.23
$0.56
EV Truck/SUV
5.6
0
$1.97
$0.90
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.
Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago
Origin
Jersey City, NJ
Night
in Jersey City on Tuesday
Local time
9:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Brookdale, NJ
Night
in Brookdale on Tuesday
Local time
9:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
20m 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 Jersey City, NJ to Brookdale, NJ covers 14.1 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 3, Tonnelle Avenue, US 1 Truck. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.1 miles from Jersey City, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.34 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 demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 14.1 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Jersey City, NJ and Brookdale, NJ, road signs point toward Secaucus, Bloomfield, Passaic and Clifton.
