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Trip from Bridgewater, CT to New Britain, CT

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

43.4 mi

70 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 59m ★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 1m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Bridgewater, CT, CT

Bridgewater, CT

Wikimedia Commons

city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States

New Britain, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 43.4-mile drive from Bridgewater to New Britain, Connecticut, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 3 minutes. It’s a perfect candidate for a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The route is primarily highway-focused, with about 68% of the journey on interstates, making it a relatively quick transit. You can expect the fuel cost to be around $7, which is quite manageable. This drive keeps you within the Northeast region, specifically within Connecticut, offering a convenient way to connect these two locations without extensive planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 84 27.5 mi 33m
Southbury Road 4.1 mi 7m
Roxbury Road 2.6 mi 4m
CT 72 2.2 mi 3m
Main Street North 1.6 mi 2m
Wellers Bridge Road 1.3 mi 3m
Clapboard Road 1.2 mi 2m
Baker Road 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 84 — 27.5 mi, about 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bridgewater, CT and New Britain, CT.

1

Start on Clapboard Road

1.2 mi · 2 min · Clapboard Road
2

Turn right onto CT 67

0.6 mi · 1 min · New Milford Road East
3

Continue on CT 67

0.6 mi · 1 min · Baker Road
4

Turn right onto Wellers Bridge Road

1.3 mi · 3 min · Wellers Bridge Road
5

Continue on Church Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Church Street
6

Turn right onto CT 67

4.1 mi · 7 min · Southbury Road
7

Continue on CT 67

2.6 mi · 4 min · Roxbury Road
8

Turn sharp right onto US 6; CT 67

1.4 mi · 2 min · Main Street North
9

Continue on CT 67

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Main Street North
10

Turn left

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 84 East: Waterbury
11

Merge onto I 84

27 mi · 33 min · I 84
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto CT 72

2.2 mi · 3 min · CT 72
Exit 35 Toward CT 72 East: New Britain Use the slight left lane.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 1D Toward Downtown New Britain Use the slight right lane.
14

Continue on Columbus Boulevard

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Columbus Boulevard
15

Turn right onto Main Street

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Main Street
16

Turn right onto CT 71

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Franklin Square
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn left

195 ft · 21 sec
18

Turn left onto Whiting Street

154 ft · 4 sec · Whiting Street
19

Arrive at destination

Whiting Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waterbury, CT

22 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.

Popular next leg

Waterbury, CT to New Britain, CT

21.5 mi · 28m

Pacing Suggestions

Heritage Village, CT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waterbury, CT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.7 miles from Bridgewater, CT, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.5 and 43.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
10.5 mi into trip | ~20m in | US 6; CT 67 / Main Street North

Turn sharp right onto US 6; CT 67 / Main Street North

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
12.6 mi into trip | ~24m in | I 84

Merge onto I 84

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
40.1 mi into trip | ~57m in | CT 72

Keep slight left at fork onto CT 72 toward CT 72 East: New Britain

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 35 Toward CT 72 East: New Britain
7
42.3 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward Downtown New Britain

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1D Toward Downtown New Britain
5
43.1 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | CT 71 / Franklin Square

Turn right onto CT 71 / Franklin Square

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.99 one way

$13.97 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $7.69 $15.37
premium $4.86 $8.31 $16.62
diesel $5.61 $9.58 $19.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13 0 $4.56 $2.08
Efficient EV 10.9 0 $3.80 $1.74
EV Truck/SUV 17.4 0 $6.08 $2.78

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026

Origin

Bridgewater, CT

Morning in Bridgewater on Tuesday

Local time

8:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Rain Showers Likely

NW 14 mph 66% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Destination

New Britain, CT

Morning in New Britain on Tuesday

Local time

8:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

NW 13 to 16 mph 85% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:18PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

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

6 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 3m 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 highway-focused drive for most of this trip, with 68% of your travel time spent on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 27.5 miles on I-84, offering a good period of consistent speed. While the majority is highway, the inclusion of Southbury Road and Roxbury Road suggests a transition to more local-feeling roads at certain points, providing a slight variation in the driving experience. Overall, it’s a route that prioritizes efficiency and directness, with a consistent pace for much of the 43.4 miles.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.5 mi on I 84.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and Southbury Road. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 10.5 miles in near US 6; CT 67 / Main Street North.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 43.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 10.5 miles (US 6; CT 67 / Main Street North): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.6 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.1 miles (CT 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in New Britain, CT

Full guide →

Founded 1850

New Britain is a city in Connecticut. The "Hardware City" is the official nickname of the city.

Top landmarks

  • New Britain Museum of American Art — art museum in New Britain, Connecticut
  • Walnut Hill Park — a large public park west of downtown New Britain, Connecticut, United States of...
  • Sloper-Wesoly House — historic house in Connecticut, 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 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 27.5 miles on I 84. 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 New Britain, CT 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 10.5 miles (US 6; CT 67 / Main Street North): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.6 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.1 miles (CT 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. 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 New Britain, CT 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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