Origin
Paterson, NJ
Morning in Paterson on Friday
Local time
11:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
51.6 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Plainsboro Center, NJ
Andrew Patrick Photo
Trip Overview
The drive from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ covers 51.6 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ellison Street, Memorial Drive, Ward Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 51.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 16m drive with frequent turns across 51.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ellison Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ellison Street | — | — |
| Memorial Drive | — | — |
| Ward Street | — | — |
| Oliver Street | — | — |
| GSP South | — | — |
| Garden State Parkway | — | — |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | — | — |
| US 1 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Ellison Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Plainsboro Center, NJ.
1
Start on Colt Street
217 ft
·
18 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
·
15 sec
·
Memorial Drive
4
Turn right
266 ft
·
10 sec
5
Turn straight onto Ward Street
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Ward Street
6
Continue on Oliver Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Oliver Street
7
Turn slight left
2.0 mi
·
2 min
8
Take the exit slight left toward GSP South
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
GSP South
9
Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway
24 mi
·
33 min
·
Garden State Parkway
10
Continue on Garden State Parkway Southbound
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
11
Take the exit slight right toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 1: Newark, Trenton
12
Keep slight right to continue on US 1 South: Trenton
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
US 1 South: Trenton
13
Merge slight left
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
14
Continue straight
2.1 mi
·
3 min
15
Continue straight
7.4 mi
·
11 min
16
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
17
Keep slight left
276 ft
·
4 sec
18
Keep slight left
387 ft
·
6 sec
19
Keep slight left
3.6 mi
·
5 min
20
Continue straight
6.2 mi
·
8 min
21
Take the exit slight right toward Monmouth Junction, Kingston
282 ft
·
8 sec
·
Monmouth Junction, Kingston
22
Turn left
98 ft
·
7 sec
23
Turn left onto Ridge Road
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Ridge Road
24
Turn right onto Schalks Crossing Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Schalks Crossing Road
25
Continue on Parkway Avenue
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Parkway Avenue
26
Turn sharp left onto Edgemere Avenue
318 ft
·
11 sec
·
Edgemere Avenue
27
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.8 mi from Paterson, NJ · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 25.8 miles from Paterson, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Plainsboro Center, NJ
The final approach into Plainsboro Center, 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
$8.55 one way
$17.11 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.37 | $18.74 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.01 | $20.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.39 | $22.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 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 | 15.5 | 0 | $5.42 | $2.48 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.22 | $3.30 |
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
Plainsboro Center, NJ
Morning in Plainsboro Center on Friday
Local time
11:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
16 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
1h 16m 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 Plainsboro Center, NJ covers 51.6 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ellison Street, Memorial Drive, Ward Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.8 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 $8.55 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.
The drive from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Paterson, NJ to Plainsboro Center, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Plainsboro Center, NJ
More trips to Plainsboro Center, NJ
Explore more options from Paterson, NJ or browse trips ending in Plainsboro Center, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.