Origin
Union, NJ
Afternoon in Union on Saturday
Local time
4:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, NJ to Prospect Park, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
45.3 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Prospect Park, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Union, NJ to Prospect Park, NJ covers 45.3 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 1, Garden State Parkway, Trenton Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.4 miles on US 1. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 1 | 27.4 mi | 39m |
| Garden State Parkway | 8.6 mi | 11m |
| Trenton Freeway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Olden Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Brunswick Pike | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Stuyvesant Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 1
— 27.4 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Prospect Park, NJ.
1
Start on Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
11 sec
·
Harding Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 630
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Vauxhall Road
3
Turn left onto CR 619
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Stuyvesant Avenue
4
Continue on CR 619
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Chestnut Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto GSP
8.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on Garden State Parkway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 130B-A
Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 130B
Toward US 1 South: Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
US 1
11
Continue on US 1
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on US 1
7.4 mi
·
11 min
·
US 1
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on US 1
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
276 ft
·
4 sec
·
US 1
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
387 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 1
16
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 1
17
Continue on US 1
14 mi
·
19 min
·
US 1
Use the straight lane.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
20
Merge onto US 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Brunswick Pike
21
Continue on US 1
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Trenton Freeway
22
Take the exit
474 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Olden Avenue, New York Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
23
At end of road, turn left onto New York Avenue
365 ft
·
7 sec
·
New York Avenue
24
Turn right
136 ft
·
6 sec
25
Turn slight right onto CR 622
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Olden Avenue
26
Turn left onto CR 627
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Prospect Street
Use the left lane.
27
Turn left onto Weber Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Weber Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
Weber Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from Union, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 43.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward GSP Toll South
8
11.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
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 130B-A
Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
9
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 130B
Toward US 1 South: Trenton
7
21.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
US 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
43.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward Olden Avenue, New York Avenue
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 Olden Avenue, New York Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.51 one way
$15.02 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.23 | $16.45 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.79 | $17.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.00 | $20.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.60
Garden State Parkway
(9.9 mi)
$0.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.17 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Prospect Park, NJ
Afternoon in Prospect Park on Saturday
Local time
4:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Edison, NJ
23 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
25 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 8m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
45.3 mi in 1h 8m, mostly highway — 27.4 mi of that is on US 1.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.4 mi on US 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 1 and Garden State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
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 45.3 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Union, NJ to Prospect Park, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Trenton along the way.
Trenton
11.2 mi in
|
~17m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 45.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.4 miles on US 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.60 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Prospect Park, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls 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 Prospect Park, 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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