Trip from Mendham, NJ to Lakewood, NJ

Drive Time

1h 31m

Distance

60.5 mi

97 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

9 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min

4 AM

1h 25m ★

6 AM

1h 32m

8 AM

1h 46m

10 AM

1h 37m

12 PM

1h 35m

3 PM

1h 37m

5 PM

1h 45m

8 PM

1h 27m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Mendham, NJ

Dajana Blakcori

Lakewood, NJ

James Kampeis

Trip Overview

The drive from Mendham, NJ to Lakewood, NJ covers 60.5 miles and takes about 1h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US Highway 9, I 287, State Route 18 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.7 miles on US Highway 9. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.01 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

30.3 miles from Mendham, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 1h 31m highway drive covering 60.5 miles, with most of the trip on US Highway 9 and I 287. The longest continuous stretch is about 18.7 miles on US Highway 9.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US Highway 9 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 9 and I 287. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13 miles in near I 287.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 60.5 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 13 miles (I 287): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

13 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 287

Keep slight left at fork onto I 287

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

23.7 mi into trip | ~33m in

Take the exit toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park

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 9 Toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park

23.9 mi into trip | ~34m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Highland Park

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Highland Park

40.5 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward US 9 South: Freehold

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 30 Toward US 9 South: Freehold

60.5 mi into trip | ~1h 31m in | 8th Street

Turn left onto 8th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Along This Route

Between Mendham, NJ and Lakewood, NJ, road signs point toward Bound Brook and Highland Park.

Bound Brook

23.7 mi in | ~33m

Highland Park

23.7 mi in | ~33m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US Highway 9	18.7 mi	28m
I 287	16.2 mi	18m
State Route 18	10.5 mi	16m
River Road	3.2 mi	5m
John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge	2.5 mi	3m
Mount Airy Road	2.1 mi	4m
Mendham Road	1.6 mi	2m
Hilltop Road	1.5 mi	2m

Longest stretch: US Highway 9 — 18.7 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mendham, NJ and Lakewood, NJ.

Start on CR 510

83 ft · 9 sec · Mendham Road

Turn left onto CR 525

1.5 mi · 2 min · Hilltop Road

Turn slight left onto CR 525

0.9 mi · 1 min · Bernardsville Road

Continue on CR 525

1.6 mi · 2 min · Mendham Road

Continue on Anderson Hill Road

1.0 mi · 2 min · Anderson Hill Road

Continue on CR 525

2.0 mi · 4 min · Mount Airy Road

Continue on CR 525

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Mount Airy Road

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Toward I 287 South: Somerville

Merge onto I 287

5.5 mi · 6 min · I 287

Keep slight left at fork onto I 287

11 mi · 12 min · I 287

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Exit 9 Toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Toward Highland Park

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 26 sec

Turn straight onto CR 622

3.2 mi · 5 min · River Road

Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Toward NJ 18 South: New Brunswick Use the right lane.

Merge onto NJ 18

2.5 mi · 3 min · John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge

Continue on NJ 18; CR 527

11 mi · 16 min · State Route 18

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec

Exit 30 Toward US 9 South: Freehold Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto US 9

19 mi · 28 min · US Highway 9

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on US 9

1.0 mi · 2 min · Madison Avenue

Turn left onto 8th Street

46 ft · 2 sec · 8th Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

8th Street

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 30.3 miles from Mendham, NJ, or about 44m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.7 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 60.5 miles or 1h 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 30.3 miles or 44m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood, NJ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Mendham, 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 Mendham, NJ

This is one driving day of about 60.5 miles and 1h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Mendham, 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 US Highway 9 for about 18.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 30.3 mi from Mendham, NJ · 44m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

30 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

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 60.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Mendham, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lakewood, NJ

The final approach into Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, 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.

Morristown National Historical Park

National Historical Park

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...

3 mi from route ~8 min detour Free near mile 4.2

Park Closure: Partial Reopening: Cross Estate Gardens

Caution: Passaic River Trail Bridge washed out

View on nps.gov

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...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour $10 near mile 4.2

View on nps.gov

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

National Historical Park

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...

24 mi from route ~60 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

Gateway National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

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...

25 mi from route ~62 min detour Free near mile 39.7

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.01 one way

$20.02 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.60	$10.95	$21.91
premium	$4.92	$11.72	$23.45
diesel	$5.64	$13.44	$26.88

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

EV Charging Along Route

9 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Wawa - Tesla Supercharger

Piscataway, NJ

Tesla

12 DCFC

Dewey Meadow Shopping Center - Tesla Supercharger

Basking Ridge, NJ

Tesla

8 DCFC

Wawa - Tesla Supercharger

Bridgewater, NJ

Tesla

8 DCFC

Maplecrest Ford

Mendham, NJ

FORD_CHARGE

4 DCFC

Duke Farms

Hillsborough, NJ

CHARGELAB

4 DCFC

Target T1224 (Bridgewater, NJ)

Bridgewater, NJ

Electrify America

3 DCFC

QUICKCHEK CP- QC186-2

Whitehouse Station, NJ

ChargePoint Network

1 DCFC

QUICKCHEK CP-QC186-1

Whitehouse station, NJ

ChargePoint Network

1 DCFC

Tesla: 3 ChargePoint Network: 2 FORD_CHARGE: 1 CHARGELAB: 1 Non-Networked: 1 Electrify America: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	18.2	$6.35	$2.90
Efficient EV	15.1	$5.29	$2.42
EV Truck/SUV	24.2	$8.47	$3.87

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Mendham, NJ

Morning in Mendham on Monday

Local time

7:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lakewood, NJ

Morning in Lakewood on Monday

Local time

7:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°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

24 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

1h 31m 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 Mendham, NJ to Lakewood, NJ covers 60.5 miles and takes about 1h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US Highway 9, I 287, State Route 18. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 30.3 miles from Mendham, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.01 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.

Between Mendham, NJ and Lakewood, NJ, road signs point toward Bound Brook and Highland Park.

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Trip from Mendham, NJ to Lakewood, NJ

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Lakewood, NJ

National Parks Near This Route

Morristown National Historical Park

Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

Gateway National Recreation Area

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Mendham, NJ

Lakewood, NJ

Same local time

24 degrees cooler at arrival

1h 31m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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