Origin
Bristol, CT
Late night in Bristol on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bristol, CT to Meriden, CT
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
23m
Distance
15.8 mi
25 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 21m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 15.8-mile drive from Bristol, CT to Meriden, CT is easily manageable in just 23 minutes, making it perfect as a single-day trip. The route primarily utilizes I-691 and I-84, with a portion on West Street, offering a mixed driving experience. With a modest estimated fuel cost of around $3, this journey is quite economical. As both locations are within the Northeast region and the same state of Connecticut, you won't encounter significant regional shifts. This quick trip is ideal for a straightforward commute or a brief excursion between these two Connecticut cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 691 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| West Street | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| I 84 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Middle Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Highland Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Colony Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Norton Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 691
— 4.4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bristol, CT and Meriden, CT.
1
Start on CT 69
71 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Street
2
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
7 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto CT 72
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto CT 229
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Middle Street
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on CT 229
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 84
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 29
Toward CT 10: Milldale
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Turn sharp right onto CT 10
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
South Main Street
11
Continue on CT 10
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
Norton Street
12
Turn straight onto CT 10
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Cheshire Road
13
Continue on CT 10
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
Highland Avenue
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
15
Merge onto I 691
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 691
16
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Meriden
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn slight left onto Columbia Street
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Columbia Street
18
At end of road, turn right onto Colony Street
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
Colony Street
19
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 72 / School Street
Turn right onto CT 72 / School Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 72 / Main Street
Turn left onto CT 72 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
7
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward CT 10: Milldale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 29
Toward CT 10: Milldale
7
14.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward Meriden
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.54 one way
$5.09 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.80 | $5.60 |
| premium | $4.86 | $3.03 | $6.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.49 | $6.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Meriden, CT
Late night in Meriden on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
27 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
23m 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?
You'll experience a mixed drive on this route, with 41% of the journey taking place on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.4 miles on I-691. Expect a blend of faster highway speeds and segments on local roads like West Street. This variety means the drive isn't a monotonous interstate grind, but rather a dynamic transition between different road types as you make your way from Bristol to Meriden.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.4 mi on I 691.
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 early in the drive near CT 72 / School Street.
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 15.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CT 72 / School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CT 72 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Meriden, CT
Full guide →Meriden is a city in the Connecticut River Valley. Although not a major tourist destination, it does have an architecturally notable center.
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 23m. Total distance: 15.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.4 miles on I 691. 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 Meriden, 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: near the start (CT 72 / School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CT 72 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Meriden, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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