Origin
Andover, MA
Morning in Andover on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Andover, MA to City of Lowell, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
12.2 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Andover, MA
Wikimedia Commons
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick trip from Andover to Lowell, Massachusetts, you are looking at a brief 12.2-mile journey that typically takes about 20 minutes. This route is perfect for a spontaneous day trip, as it requires no overnight stops and keeps your fuel budget minimal at roughly $2. You will navigate through the Northeast region using a combination of I-495 and local roads like North Main Street and Rogers Street. Because the travel time is so efficient, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule to explore once you arrive. It is a straightforward, no-fuss drive that serves as an easy connection between these two Massachusetts communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| North Main Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Rogers Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Middlesex Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Nesmith Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Union Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Andover Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Green Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 6.7 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Andover, MA and City of Lowell, MA.
1
Start on Summer Street
435 ft
·
18 sec
·
Summer Street
2
Turn left onto Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Elm Street
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto MA 28
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Union Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 495 South: Lowell, Marlboro
6
Merge onto I 495
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 495
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 92
Toward MA 38: Lowell, Tewksbury
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto MA 38
462 ft
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on MA 38
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Rogers Street
10
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 38
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Nesmith Street
11
Turn left onto MA 110
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Andover Street
12
Continue on MA 110
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Church Street
13
Continue on MA 110
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Green Street
14
Continue on MA 110
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Middlesex Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
5 sec
·
Arch Street
16
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 12.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Elm Street
Turn left onto Elm Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 28 / North Main Street
Turn right onto MA 28 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward MA 38: Lowell, Tewksbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 92
Toward MA 38: Lowell, Tewksbury
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
MA 38 / Main Street
Turn right onto MA 38 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
12.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Arch Street
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.95 one way
$3.90 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $2.13 | $4.26 |
| premium | $4.82 | $2.32 | $4.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.69 | $5.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.28 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.07 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
City of Lowell, MA
Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
1 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
20m 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?
Expect a mixed driving experience that balances high-speed transit with local navigation. You will spend about 55% of your time on the highway, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 6.7 miles on I-495. As you transition off the interstate and onto North Main Street and Rogers Street, the pace shifts from a standard highway grind to a more grounded, local feel. This variety keeps the short 20-minute drive engaging without becoming tedious. You will find it to be a functional, direct route that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complexity.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.7 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Elm Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 12.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (MA 28 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Andover, MA and City of Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Marlboro and Tewksbury.
Marlboro
1.9 mi in
|
~3m
Tewksbury
9 mi in
|
~12m
About the Cities
Starting in Andover, MA
Full guide →Andover is a town in Massachusetts with a population of 37,000 (2020). It is situated at the crossroads of I-495 and I-93 in the heart of the Merrimack Valley. North Andover is a small town on the banks of the Merrimack River. It has a population of about 31,000 (2020) and is 25 miles north of Boston.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 12.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.7 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 City of Lowell, MA 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 0.1 miles (Elm Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (MA 28 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Salem Maritime National Historical Park (6 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 City of Lowell, MA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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