Origin
Pompton Lakes, NJ
Morning in Pompton Lakes on Friday
Local time
8:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pompton Lakes, NJ to Newark, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
25 mi
40 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pompton Lakes, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 25-mile journey from Pompton Lakes to Newark, New Jersey, can be completed in about 32 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With 89% of the drive on highways, expect a straightforward, efficient transit. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $4, and with no designated stops, you can be on your way without delay. This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, designed for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss. Given its short duration and direct nature, splitting this trip into multiple days is unnecessary.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 25 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Primarily a highway-focused drive, this route emphasizes efficient travel, with 89% of the mileage dedicated to faster roads. You'll experience stretches of highway driving, including a continuous 6.8-mile segment on NJ 23, which forms a significant portion of the journey. The main roads guiding you include NJ 23, NJ 21, and NJ 3, suggesting a progression through varied highway environments. Expect a consistent pace rather than a winding, scenic exploration.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NJ 23 is the longest continuous segment at about 6.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and NJ 21. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near CR 511 ALT / Newark-Pompton Turnpike.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 25 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (CR 511 ALT / Newark-Pompton Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 511 ALT / Newark-Pompton Turnpike
Turn left onto CR 511 ALT / Newark-Pompton Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
NJ 23
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
17.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward NJ 21 South: Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark
7
23.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Broad Street
Turn left onto Broad Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
24.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
CR 510 / Market Street
Turn left onto CR 510 / Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Pompton Lakes, NJ to Newark, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.
Clifton
9 mi in
|
~12m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| NJ 21 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| NJ 3 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Newark-Pompton Turnpike | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| University Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Wanaque Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 23
— 6.8 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pompton Lakes, NJ and Newark, NJ.
1
Start on this road
39 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Lakeside Avenue
83 ft
·
4 sec
·
Lakeside Avenue
3
Turn sharp left onto CR 684
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Wanaque Avenue
4
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 684
231 ft
·
3 sec
·
Wanaque Avenue
5
Turn slight right onto CR 689
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike
6
Turn left onto CR 511 ALT
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Newark-Pompton Turnpike
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on NJ 23; CR 511 Alternate
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
·
NJ 23; CR 511 Alternate
8
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
297 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
11
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
12
Continue on US 46
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight left onto NJ 3
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 21 South: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto NJ 21
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
NJ 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto CR 506 Spur
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Clay Street
17
Turn left onto Broad Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Broad Street
Use the left lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto University Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
University Avenue
19
Turn left onto CR 510
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Market Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Arrive at destination
CR 510
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.14 one way
$8.29 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.54 | $9.08 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.85 | $9.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.52 | $11.04 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Newark-Pompton Turnpike
(0.9 mi)
$0.07
Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike
(0.8 mi)
$0.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.19 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Newark, NJ
Morning in Newark on Friday
Local time
8:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
18 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
32m 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 Pompton Lakes, NJ to Newark, NJ covers 25 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 23, NJ 21, NJ 3. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.5 miles from Pompton Lakes, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.14 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 25 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (CR 511 ALT / Newark-Pompton Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Pompton Lakes, NJ to Newark, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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