Origin
Belmont, MA
Late night in Belmont on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belmont, MA to Lowell, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
19.6 mi
31 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belmont, MA
Italo Melo
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Belmont, MA to Lowell, MA is 19.6 miles and takes about 29 minutes via US 3, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a drive that’s mostly highway, making it a quick and straightforward connection between these two communities. It's a practical option for a quick commute or a brief excursion where you want to minimize travel time. Given its brevity, you won't need extensive planning, but knowing the main roads will help you navigate smoothly.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 3 | 10.3 mi | 12m |
| Lowell Street | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| Chelmsford Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Park Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Middlesex Turnpike | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Pleasant Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Clifton Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 3
— 10.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belmont, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on MA 60
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Pleasant Street
2
Turn left onto Clifton Street
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Clifton Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Prospect Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Prospect Street
4
Enter roundabout onto Park Avenue
16 ft
·
0 sec
·
Park Avenue
5
Continue on Park Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue
6
Turn left onto Lowell Street
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Lowell Street
7
Continue on Middlesex Turnpike
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Middlesex Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 95 South, US 3 North, MA 128 South: Waltham, Lowell, Providence Rhode Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
US 3
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
14
Turn right onto MA 110
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Chelmsford Street
15
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
16
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
17
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 6.5 and 17.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 South, US 3 North, MA 128 South: Waltham, Lowell, Providence Rhode Island
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, US 3 North, MA 128 South: Wa...
7
6.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 3
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3 toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
6
16.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
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 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlbor...
8
17.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.14 one way
$6.27 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.72 | $7.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.04
Middlesex Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Fog
SE 1 to 7 mph
20% 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
4 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
29m 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?
This drive features a mixed profile, with 56% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter about 10.3 miles on US 3 as the longest uninterrupted stretch, offering a taste of faster-paced driving. The route generally progresses from more local streets as you depart Belmont to the efficiency of US 3, before transitioning back to local roads like Lowell Street and Chelmsford Street as you approach Lowell. This blend means you'll experience both quicker highway segments and more typical town driving.
56% 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: 10.3 mi on US 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 6.5 miles in.
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 19.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (US 3): 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.
Between Belmont, MA and Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Providence Rhode Island, Nashua New Hampshire, Marlboro and Chelmsford.
Providence Rhode Island
6.5 mi in
|
~12m
Nashua New Hampshire
6.8 mi in
|
~13m
|
via US 3
Marlboro
17.1 mi in
|
~25m
Chelmsford
17.6 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
Starting in Belmont, MA
Full guide →Arlington is a town of 46,000 people (2020) in Massachusetts. It is a largely residential town; many of its residents are employed in Cambridge, Boston and surrounding towns. It has several historical sites that reflect its history that dates back to the early 17th century. Belmont is a town with a population of 27,000 (2020).
Arriving in Lowell, MA
Full guide →Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.
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 29m. Total distance: 19.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). 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 10.3 miles on US 3. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.04 in tolls one way, starting with Middlesex Turnpike. 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 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 6.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Boston 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 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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