Origin
Paterson, NJ
Evening in Paterson on Thursday
Local time
5:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paterson, NJ to Clinton, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
50.4 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clinton, NJ
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
The drive from Paterson, NJ to Clinton, NJ covers 50.4 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 287, Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, US 46 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.2 miles on I 287. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 50.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 4m highway drive covering 50.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 287 and Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 19.2 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 23 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 19.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 287 and Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Van Houten Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.4 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.2 miles (Van Houten Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (CR 509 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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.
6
14.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 287 South: Morristown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 43A
Toward I 287 South: Morristown
8
35.8 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward I 78 West: Easton, Pennsylvania
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 21B
Toward I 78 West: Easton, Pennsylvania
8
48.7 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward NJ 31: Clinton, Flemington, Washington
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 17
Toward NJ 31: Clinton, Flemington, Washington
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Paterson, NJ and Clinton, NJ, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah and Pennsylvania.
Del Water Gap
12.3 mi in
|
~16m
Mahwah
12.6 mi in
|
~17m
|
via I 80W
Pennsylvania
35.8 mi in
|
~45m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 287 | 19.2 mi | 23m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| US 46 | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Interstate 80 West | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Union Boulevard | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Union Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Old Highway 22 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Broadway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 287
— 19.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Clinton, 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
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Union Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 46
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
US 46
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80 West: Dover, Del Water Gap
12
Continue on I 80W
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate 80 West
Toward I 287: Morristown, Mahwah
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.9 mi
·
2 min
Exit 43A
Toward I 287 South: Morristown
14
Merge onto I 287
19 mi
·
23 min
·
I 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 21B
Toward I 78 West: Easton, Pennsylvania
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 78
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 17
Toward NJ 31: Clinton, Flemington, Washington
Use the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto NJ 31
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
NJ 31
19
Take the exit onto to Route 31 Southbound
450 ft
·
12 sec
·
to Route 31 Southbound
20
Turn slight right onto CR 626
148 ft
·
5 sec
·
Beaver Avenue
21
Turn right onto NJ 173
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 22
22
Turn right onto CR 513
128 ft
·
2 sec
·
Leigh Street
23
Arrive at destination
CR 513
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.2 mi from Paterson, NJ · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.2 miles from Paterson, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clinton, NJ
The final approach into Clinton, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.36 one way
$16.71 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.15 | $18.30 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.77 | $19.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.13 | $22.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.06 | $3.23 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Clinton, NJ
Evening in Clinton on Thursday
Local time
5:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Bloomingdale, NJ
25 mi in
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
8 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
1h 4m 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 Paterson, NJ to Clinton, NJ covers 50.4 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 287, Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, US 46. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.2 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 $8.36 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 50.4 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.2 miles (Van Houten Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (CR 509 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Between Paterson, NJ and Clinton, NJ, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah and Pennsylvania.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Thomas Edison National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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