Trip from Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ

Drive Time

26m

Distance

16.6 mi

27 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min

4 AM

0h 24m ★

6 AM

0h 26m

8 AM

0h 31m

10 AM

0h 28m

12 PM

0h 27m

3 PM

0h 28m

5 PM

0h 31m

8 PM

0h 25m

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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Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick commute between Menlo Park and Newark, this 16.6-mile trip is a straightforward transit across New Jersey. Expect to spend about 26 minutes behind the wheel, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of just $3, it is an incredibly economical route to navigate. You will primarily utilize the Garden State Parkway, Springfield Avenue, and the Lincoln Highway to complete your journey. Since both cities are located within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent urban and suburban environment throughout the entire drive. This route is best viewed as a practical connection rather than a sightseeing tour, providing a reliable path for those needing to get between these two points efficiently.

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

8.3 miles from Menlo Park, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 13m into the drive .

Drive Character

This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 70% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Garden State Parkway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.7 miles. The experience is characterized by a transition from the suburban feel of Menlo Park onto high-speed transit corridors before eventually shifting into the local road network of Newark. Because the route is quite short, you won't encounter the fatigue associated with long-haul interstate driving. It remains a functional, high-traffic transit experience, so keep your focus sharp as you merge onto the Parkway and navigate the eventual transition onto Springfield Avenue and the Lincoln Highway.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Lincoln Highway is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ is easy. At 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Lincoln Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
GSP Toll North	Unavailable	Refreshing
Garden State Parkway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Irvington	Unavailable	Refreshing
Cleremont Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Ball Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Washington Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Springfield Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Lincoln Highway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Menlo Park, NJ and Newark, NJ.

1

Start on Philip Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Philip Street

2

At the end of the road, turn left onto Lincoln Highway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Highway

3

Take the ramp left toward GSP Toll North

466 ft · 11 sec · GSP Toll North

4

Continue straight

0.2 mi · 47 sec

5

Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway

12 mi · 15 min · Garden State Parkway

6

Take the exit slight right toward Irvington

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Irvington

7

Turn left onto Cleremont Avenue

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Cleremont Avenue

8

Continue on Ball Street

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Ball Street

9

Continue on Washington Avenue

449 ft · 13 sec · Washington Avenue

10

Turn right onto Springfield Avenue

2.7 mi · 5 min · Springfield Avenue

11

Continue on Market Street

0.2 mi · 42 sec · Market Street

12

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Given the short 26-minute duration, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though you should account for typical regional traffic patterns during morning or evening commutes. Since there are no required stops on this 16.6-mile trek, you can easily complete the drive in one go without needing to plan for breaks. Make sure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave, as the $3 fuel cost is minimal and won't require a mid-trip refill. My best piece of advice is to keep a close eye on your GPS when you transition from the Garden State Parkway onto the local streets of Springfield Avenue and the Lincoln Highway, as the shift from highway speeds to urban navigation happens quickly.

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 8.3 miles from Menlo Park, NJ, or about 13m into the drive.

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 16.6 miles or 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 8.3 miles or 13m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 22m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Menlo Park, 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 Menlo Park, NJ

This is one driving day of about 16.6 miles and 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Menlo Park, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 8.3 mi from Menlo Park, NJ · 13m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

8 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 8.3 miles from Menlo Park, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Newark, NJ

The final approach into Newark, 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 Newark, NJ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.75 one way

$5.49 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.60	$3.01	$6.01
premium	$4.92	$3.22	$6.43
diesel	$5.64	$3.69	$7.38

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	5	$1.74	$0.80
Efficient EV	4.2	$1.45	$0.66
EV Truck/SUV	6.6	$2.32	$1.06

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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 2 days ago

Origin

Menlo Park, NJ

Morning in Menlo Park on Monday

Local time

8:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Newark, NJ

Morning in Newark on Monday

Local time

8:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

26m 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 Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ covers 16.6 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Lincoln Highway, GSP Toll North, Garden State Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 8.3 miles from Menlo Park, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.75 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.

The drive from Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ is easy. At 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Menlo Park, NJ to Newark, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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