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Trip from Paterson, NJ to Cedar Grove, NJ

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 59m

Distance

145.6 mi

234 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$24

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 48m ★
6 AM
3h 0m
8 AM
3h 22m
10 AM
3h 8m
12 PM
3h 5m
3 PM
3h 9m
5 PM
3h 21m
8 PM
2h 53m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

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

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States

Cedar Grove, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Paterson, NJ to Cedar Grove, NJ covers 145.6 miles and takes about 2h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Garden State Parkway, Garden State Parkway Southbound, Shore Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 132.2 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.14 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

72.8 miles from Paterson, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 32m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 2h 59m highway drive covering 145.6 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. The longest continuous stretch is about 132.2 miles on Garden State Parkway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 132.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 145.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 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

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Memorial Drive

Turn right onto Memorial Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the exit toward GSP South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward GSP South
6
34.1 mi into trip | ~47m in | GSP / Garden State Parkway

Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
141.8 mi into trip | ~2h 52m in | GSP SB Exit 17

Take the exit onto GSP SB Exit 17 toward Sea Isle City, Dennis Township

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 17 Toward Sea Isle City, Dennis Township

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 132.2 mi 2h 39m
Garden State Parkway Southbound 6.2 mi 8m
Shore Road 2.3 mi 3m
NJ 19 2 mi 2m
Kings Highway 0.7 mi 1m
Ward Street 0.3 mi <1m
Sea Isle Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
GSP SB Exit 17 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 132.2 mi, about 2h 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Colt Street

216 ft · 17 sec · Colt Street
2

Turn right onto Ellison Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Ellison Street
3

Turn right onto Memorial Drive

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Memorial Drive
Use the right lane.
4

Turn right

267 ft · 9 sec
5

Turn straight onto Ward Street

0.3 mi · 34 sec · Ward Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on NJ 19

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Oliver Street
7

Turn slight left onto NJ 19

2.0 mi · 2 min · NJ 19
Use the slight left lane.
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward GSP South Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto GSP

24 mi · 33 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10

Continue on Garden State Parkway

6.2 mi · 8 min · Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto GSP

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Garden State Parkway
12

Keep slight right at fork onto GSP

108 mi · 2 hr 5 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit onto GSP SB Exit 17

0.2 mi · 29 sec · GSP SB Exit 17
Exit 17 Toward Sea Isle City, Dennis Township Use the straight / right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork

210 ft · 10 sec
15

Turn left onto CR 625

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Sea Isle Boulevard
16

Turn left onto US 9

2.3 mi · 3 min · Shore Road
17

Turn right onto NJ 83

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Trooper Bertram T. Zimmerman III Memorial Highway
18

Turn slight right onto CR 608

0.7 mi · 1 min · Kings Highway
19

Arrive at destination

CR 608

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.8 miles from Paterson, NJ, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.2 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 80 miles or 1h 40m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 72.8 miles or 1h 32m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Grove, 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 145.6 miles and 2h 59m.

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.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 132.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 72.8 mi from Paterson, NJ · 1h 32m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

73 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

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 72.8 miles from Paterson, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Garden State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 132.2 miles.

Arriving in Cedar Grove, NJ

The final approach into Cedar Grove, 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 Cedar Grove, NJ.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$24.14 one way

$48.28 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 51 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $26.44 $52.87
premium $4.93 $28.24 $56.47
diesel $5.61 $32.15 $64.29

Estimated Tolls: $8.30

Garden State Parkway (138.4 mi) $8.30

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$24

Tolls

$8

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 50.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 43.7 0 $15.29 $6.99
Efficient EV 36.4 0 $12.74 $5.82
EV Truck/SUV 58.2 0 $20.38 $9.32

Gas CO2

51 kg

EV CO2

17 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 5 days ago

Origin

Paterson, NJ

Evening in Paterson on Tuesday

Local time

6:51 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cedar Grove, NJ

Evening in Cedar Grove on Tuesday

Local time

6:51 PM

EDT

Current temp

54°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

7 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

2h 59m 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 Cedar Grove, NJ covers 145.6 miles and takes about 2h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Garden State Parkway Southbound, Shore Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 72.8 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 $24.14 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 145.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Paterson, NJ to Cedar Grove, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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