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Trip from Paterson, NJ to Caldwell, NJ

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

18m

Distance

9.9 mi

16 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 17m ★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m

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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city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

borough in Essex County, New Jersey, USA

Caldwell, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Paterson, NJ to Caldwell, NJ covers 9.9 miles and takes about 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Union Boulevard, Central Avenue, Union Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.7 miles on Union Boulevard. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.64 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

4.9 miles from Paterson, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 8m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 18m drive with frequent turns across 9.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Union Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 2.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.

Route Complexity 6/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9.9 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Van Houten Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Ellison Street

Turn right onto Ellison Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Church Street

Turn left onto Church Street

Navigation decision point

7
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Van Houten Street

Turn left onto Van Houten Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
7
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 509 / Main Street

Turn right onto CR 509 / Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
9.5 mi into trip | ~17m in | CR 506 / Bloomfield Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto CR 506 / Bloomfield Avenue

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Union Boulevard 2.7 mi 4m
Central Avenue 2.2 mi 3m
Union Avenue 1.3 mi 2m
Main Street 1.3 mi 2m
Grandview Avenue 1.2 mi 2m
West Broadway 0.5 mi 1m
Bloomfield Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
Van Houten Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Union Boulevard — 2.7 mi, about 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Colt Street

216 ft · 17 sec · Colt Street
2

Turn right onto Ellison Street

290 ft · 13 sec · Ellison Street
3

Turn left onto Church Street

339 ft · 20 sec · Church Street
4

Turn left onto Van Houten Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Van Houten Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5

Turn right onto CR 509

287 ft · 8 sec · Main Street
Use the right lane.
6

Turn slight left onto CR 509

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Broadway
7

Turn left onto CR 646

1.3 mi · 2 min · Union Avenue
8

Continue on CR 646

2.7 mi · 4 min · Union Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Turn right onto CR 631

1.2 mi · 2 min · Main Street
10

Continue on CR 631

0.7 mi · 1 min · Grandview Avenue
11

Continue on CR 631

0.5 mi · 57 sec · Grandview Avenue
12

Keep slight left at fork onto CR 631

291 ft · 5 sec · Grandview Avenue
13

Continue on CR 631

2.2 mi · 3 min · Central Avenue
14

At end of road, turn left onto CR 506

0.3 mi · 59 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
15

Turn right

79 ft · 5 sec
16

Arrive at destination

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 4.9 miles from Paterson, NJ, or about 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 2.7 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 9.9 miles or 18m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 4.9 miles or 8m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 15m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Paterson, 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 Paterson, NJ

This is one driving day of about 9.9 miles and 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Paterson, 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 Union Boulevard for about 2.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 4.9 mi from Paterson, NJ · 8m into the drive

town in Rockland County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ramapo, NY

5 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 9.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ramapo, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 4.9 miles from Paterson, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Caldwell, NJ

The final approach into 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 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.

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...

0 mi from route ~1 min detour Free near mile 0.3
Caution: Limited Amphitheater Accessibility
Caution: Overlook Park Parking Lot - Vehicles Must Be Parked in a Designated Spot
View on nps.gov
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...

4 mi from route ~11 min detour $10 near mile 9.9
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...

14 mi from route ~36 min detour Free near mile 9.5
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...

27 mi from route ~67 min detour Free near mile 9.9
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.64 one way

$3.28 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $1.80 $3.60
premium $4.93 $1.92 $3.84
diesel $5.61 $2.19 $4.37

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: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3 0 $1.04 $0.48
Efficient EV 2.5 0 $0.87 $0.40
EV Truck/SUV 4 0 $1.39 $0.63

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 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 1 hour ago

Origin

Paterson, NJ

Evening in Paterson on Tuesday

Local time

6:39 PM

EDT

Current temp

87°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 12 mph 18% chance Live forecast

Destination

Caldwell, NJ

Evening in Caldwell on Tuesday

Local time

6:39 PM

EDT

Current temp

86°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 13 mph 18% chance Live forecast

40°F

Ramapo, NY

5 mi in

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

1 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

18m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Paterson, NJ to Caldwell, NJ covers 9.9 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Union Boulevard, Central Avenue, Union Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.9 miles from Paterson, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.64 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 9.9 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Van Houten Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Paterson, NJ to Caldwell, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

Caldwell, NJ to Paterson, NJ

Plan the drive back the other way.

10.8 mi 17m

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