Origin
Totowa, NJ
Afternoon in Totowa on Saturday
Local time
2:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Totowa, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
10m
Distance
6.4 mi
10 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 10m
★
6 AM
0h 11m
8 AM
0h 12m
10 AM
0h 11m
12 PM
0h 11m
3 PM
0h 11m
5 PM
0h 12m
8 PM
0h 10m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Totowa, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This brief 6.4-mile drive from Totowa, NJ to Clifton, NJ will only take about 10 minutes to complete, making it an easy addition to any itinerary or a quick local trip. You'll primarily be on US 46 and Union Boulevard. With a minimal fuel cost of around $1, this route is very budget-friendly. Given its short distance and duration, this trip is perfectly suited as a single-day excursion and doesn't require an overnight stay. The mixed drive profile means you'll experience a variety of road types, making the short journey engaging.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Union Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grove Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 46
— 3.4 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Totowa, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on CR 644
99 ft
·
5 sec
·
Totowa Road
2
Turn left onto CR 646
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
4
Merge onto US 46
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
5
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
7
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
8
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
10
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
11
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
12
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
13
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 646 / Union Boulevard
Turn left onto CR 646 / Union Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
4.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CR 623 / Grove Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CR 614 / Van Houten Avenue
Turn left onto CR 614 / Van Houten Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
6.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Donna Drive
Turn right onto Donna Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.06 one way
$2.12 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.16 | $2.32 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.24 | $2.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.41 | $2.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.67 | $0.31 |
| Efficient EV | 1.6 | 0 | $0.56 | $0.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.90 | $0.41 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Clifton, NJ
Afternoon in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
2:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
W 8 mph
17% chance
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
7 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
10m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 53% of it being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.4 miles along US 46. This section likely offers a faster pace, transitioning into more local road conditions as you navigate through Union Boulevard and Van Houten Avenue. The road's personality will shift from arterial highway to potentially busier urban streets, offering a dynamic driving experience for its short span.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.4 mi on US 46.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 CR 646 / Union Boulevard.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 6.4 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 (CR 646 / Union Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles (CR 623 / Grove Street): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Totowa, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Passaic along the way.
Passaic
4.8 mi in
|
~6m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
This super short 6.4-mile, 10-minute drive is perfect for a quick weekend hop. You'll be back before you know it, with no need to even plan for breaks.
Family Friendly
With only 6.4 miles and a 10-minute drive time, this route is definitely short enough for kids. The moderate 5/10 complexity means you likely won't encounter too much stress.
Solo Traveler
This is an incredibly easy solo drive at just 6.4 miles and 10 minutes. You could practically do it with your eyes closed, but thankfully, the navigation is only a 5/10 complexity.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
This 6.4-mile, 10-minute drive is ideal for a first-timer. The highway portion is only 53%, and the 5/10 complexity won't overwhelm you on your first outing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.4 miles on US 46. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 646 / Union Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles (CR 623 / Grove Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clifton, NJ before heading back.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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