Origin
Monroe, NJ
Evening in Monroe on Friday
Local time
5:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monroe, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
35.1 mi
56 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monroe, NJ
Garrison Gao
New Brunswick, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Monroe, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ covers 35.1 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 287, River Road, John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26.3 miles on I 287. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.82 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 46m highway drive covering 35.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 287 and River Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 26.3 miles on I 287.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 287 is the longest continuous segment at about 26.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 287 and River Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18 miles in near I 287.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 35.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 18 miles (I 287): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
18 mi into trip
|
~22m 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.
8
28.7 mi into trip
|
~35m 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
6
28.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Highland Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Highland Park
7
34 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward New Brunswick, New Street, Paul Robeson Boulevard
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 New Brunswick, New Street, Paul Robeson...
6
34.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Turn slight right toward New Street, Arts and Business District
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward New Street, Arts and Business District
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Monroe, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ, road signs point toward Bound Brook and Highland Park.
Bound Brook
28.7 mi in
|
~35m
Highland Park
28.7 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 287 | 26.3 mi | 30m |
| River Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Whippany Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Lafayette Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Livingston Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Park Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| New Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 287
— 26.3 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monroe, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ.
1
Start on Cedar Knolls Road
279 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cedar Knolls Road
2
Continue on Park Avenue
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Park Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 511
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Whippany Road
4
Continue on CR 510
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Lafayette Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 287 South: Somerville
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 287
16 mi
·
18 min
·
I 287
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 287
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 287
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 9
Toward River Road, Bound Brook, Highland Park
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward Highland Park
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
11
Turn straight onto CR 622
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
River Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward NJ 18 South: New Brunswick
Use the right lane.
13
Merge onto NJ 18
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward New Brunswick, New Street, Paul Robeson Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto Burnet Street
364 ft
·
6 sec
·
Burnet Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
Toward New Street, Arts and Business District
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on New Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
New Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Livingston Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Livingston Avenue
19
Turn right onto Delavan Street
68 ft
·
3 sec
·
Delavan Street
20
Arrive at destination
Delavan Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.5 mi from Monroe, NJ · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Monroe, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in New Brunswick, NJ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into New Brunswick, NJ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.82 one way
$11.64 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.37 | $12.75 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.81 | $13.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
New Brunswick, NJ
Evening in New Brunswick on Friday
Local time
5:49 PM
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
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
46m 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 Monroe, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ covers 35.1 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 287, River Road, John A. Lynch Memorial Bridge. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.5 miles from Monroe, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.82 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 16 decision points packed into just 35.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
The main spots that need attention: at 18 miles (I 287): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Between Monroe, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ, road signs point toward Bound Brook and Highland Park.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park 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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