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Trip from Newark, NJ to West Caldwell, NJ

Data updated 53 minutes ago

Drive Time

21m

Distance

13 mi

21 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 19m ★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m

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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township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States

West Caldwell, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Newark, NJ to West Caldwell, NJ covers 13 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Essex Freeway, Harrison Avenue, Passaic Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.9 miles on Essex Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.16 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

6.5 miles from Newark, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 10m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 21m highway drive covering 13 miles, with most of the trip on Essex Freeway and Harrison Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 7.9 miles on Essex Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Essex Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 7.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Essex Freeway and Harrison Avenue. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near Orange Street.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 13 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Orange Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (I 280 / Essex Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

5
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in | Orange Street

Turn left onto Orange Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 280 West: Garden State Parkway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 280 West: Garden State Parkway
5
2 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 280 / Essex Freeway

Merge onto I 280 / Essex Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
9.9 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward CR 527 North: The Caldwells, Livingston

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 5B Toward CR 527 North: The Caldwells, Livingston
5
11.1 mi into trip | ~17m in | CR 656 / Harrison Avenue

Turn left onto CR 656 / Harrison 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 Newark, NJ and West Caldwell, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 527 North: The Caldwells and Livingston.

Cr 527 North: The Caldwells

9.9 mi in | ~14m

Livingston

9.9 mi in | ~14m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Essex Freeway 7.9 mi 10m
Harrison Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Passaic Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
CR 527 0.7 mi 1m
Raymond Boulevard 0.5 mi <1m
Orange Street 0.5 mi <1m
Lock Street 0.3 mi <1m
Roseland Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Essex Freeway — 7.9 mi, about 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Newark, NJ and West Caldwell, NJ.

1

Start on CR 510

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Market Street
2

Turn right

217 ft · 7 sec
3

Turn straight onto Washington Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Turn left onto Raymond Boulevard

0.5 mi · 56 sec · Raymond Boulevard
5

Continue on Lock Street

0.3 mi · 41 sec · Lock Street
6

Continue on Nesbitt Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Nesbitt Street
7

Turn left onto Orange Street

0.5 mi · 57 sec · Orange Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 280 West: Garden State Parkway Use the left lane.
9

Merge onto I 280

7.9 mi · 10 min · Essex Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 5B Toward CR 527 North: The Caldwells, Livingston Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto CR 527

0.7 mi · 1 min · CR 527
Use the straight lane.
12

Turn right onto CR 527; CR 611

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Eagle Rock Avenue
13

Turn left onto CR 527

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Roseland Avenue
14

Turn left onto CR 656

1.1 mi · 2 min · Harrison Avenue
Use the left lane.
15

At end of road, turn right onto CR 613

0.8 mi · 1 min · Passaic Avenue
16

Arrive at destination

CR 613

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 6.5 miles from Newark, NJ, or about 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 7.9 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 13 miles or 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 6.5 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 West Caldwell, NJ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Newark, 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 Newark, NJ

This is one driving day of about 13 miles and 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Newark, 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 Essex Freeway for about 7.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 6.5 mi from Newark, NJ · 10m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

7 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 6.5 miles from Newark, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in West Caldwell, NJ

The final approach into West Caldwell, 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 West Caldwell, 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

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...

0 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 near mile 5.8
Park Closure: Glenmont Mansion and Grounds Closed
View on nps.gov
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

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...

8 mi from route ~20 min detour Free near mile 13
View on nps.gov
Morristown National Historical Park

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...

12 mi from route ~31 min detour Free near mile 9.9
View on nps.gov
Gateway National Recreation Area

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...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.16 one way

$4.31 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.36 $4.72
premium $4.93 $2.52 $5.04
diesel $5.61 $2.87 $5.74

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: 4.5 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 3.9 0 $1.37 $0.62
Efficient EV 3.3 0 $1.14 $0.52
EV Truck/SUV 5.2 0 $1.82 $0.83

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 5 days ago

Origin

Newark, NJ

Evening in Newark on Tuesday

Local time

8:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

West Caldwell, NJ

Evening in West Caldwell on Tuesday

Local time

8:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

58°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

3 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

21m 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 Newark, NJ to West Caldwell, NJ covers 13 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Essex Freeway, Harrison Avenue, Passaic Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.5 miles from Newark, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.16 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 13 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Orange Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (I 280 / Essex Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Newark, NJ and West Caldwell, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 527 North: The Caldwells and Livingston.

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Return Trip

West Caldwell, NJ to Newark, NJ

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13.8 mi 20m

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