Origin
Wayne, NJ
Late night in Wayne on Friday
Local time
12:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wayne, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
14m
Distance
9 mi
15 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wayne, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 9-mile drive from Wayne to Clifton, New Jersey, is easily manageable in about 14 minutes, making it perfect for a single-day trip. Expect to spend around $1 on fuel for this short journey. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with a substantial 74% of the drive on major roads. Given its brevity, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or splitting the trip. It's a straightforward trip within the Northeast region, connecting two points within the same state. This route is ideal for those needing to cover a short distance efficiently.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive leans heavily towards a highway experience, with 74% of the total mileage on major roads like US 46 and US 202. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch on US 46, covering 4.5 miles. While primarily a highway-focused profile, the route also incorporates sections of Van Houten Avenue, suggesting a slight transition from faster thoroughfares to more localized roads as you approach your destination. The overall feel is likely one of steady progress on well-maintained, higher-speed routes for most of the journey.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 46 is the longest continuous segment at about 4.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 46 and US 202. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 683 / Newark-Pompton Turnpike.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 683 / Newark-Pompton Turnpike): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Newark-Pompton Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.8 miles (US 202; NJ 23): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 683 / Newark-Pompton Turnpike
At end of road, turn right onto CR 683 / Newark-Pompton Turnpike
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Newark-Pompton Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto Newark-Pompton Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 202; NJ 23
Merge onto US 202; NJ 23
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
7
7.4 mi into trip
|
~10m 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...
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 Wayne, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Passaic along the way.
Passaic
7.4 mi in
|
~10m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| US 202 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Newark-Pompton Turnpike | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ryerson Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 46
— 4.5 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wayne, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Ryerson Avenue
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
Ryerson Avenue
2
At end of road, turn right onto CR 683
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Newark-Pompton Turnpike
3
Keep slight right at fork onto Newark-Pompton Turnpike
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Newark-Pompton Turnpike
4
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
this road
5
Merge onto US 202; NJ 23
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 202; NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
297 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
8
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
9
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
12
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
14
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
15
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
16
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
17
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.49 one way
$2.98 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.63 | $3.27 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.75 | $3.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.99 | $3.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.79 | $0.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Clifton, NJ
Late night in Clifton on Friday
Local time
12:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 12 mph
4% 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
46 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
14m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Wayne, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 9 miles and takes about 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 46, US 202, Van Houten Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.5 miles from Wayne, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.49 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 13 decision points packed into just 9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 683 / Newark-Pompton Turnpike): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Newark-Pompton Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.8 miles (US 202; NJ 23): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Wayne, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Passaic 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.
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