Origin
Cambridge, MA
Morning in Cambridge on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MA to Carver, 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
1h 12m
Distance
48.4 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Carver, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 48.4 miles through the Northeast, this trip from Cambridge to Carver is a straightforward journey typically taking about 1 hour and 13 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, eliminating the need for overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend approximately $8 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for your schedule. Navigating through local streets like Cambridge Street, Monsignor O'Brien Highway, and Charles River Dam Road, you will find this path avoids major interstate travel entirely. It is a practical choice if you prefer local roads over high-speed highway driving, offering a direct transition between these two Massachusetts locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MA 3 | 28.6 mi | 36m |
| Southeast Expressway | 8 mi | 10m |
| South Meadow Road | 4.8 mi | 8m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Cambridge Street | 1.6 mi | 5m |
| Samoset Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Seven Hills Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Charles River Dam Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
MA 3
— 28.6 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Carver, MA.
1
Start on Leonard Avenue
267 ft
·
16 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
2
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on Cambridge Street
1.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Merge onto MA 28
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Monsignor O'Brien Highway
5
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles River Dam Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit onto MA 3
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
MA 3
Toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport
7
Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3
28 mi
·
35 min
·
MA 3
Exit 7
Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 15B
Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
11
Turn straight onto Samoset Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Samoset Street
12
Turn slight left onto Seven Hills Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Seven Hills Road
13
Turn straight onto Federal Furnace Road
425 ft
·
14 sec
·
Federal Furnace Road
14
Turn right onto South Meadow Road
4.8 mi
·
8 min
·
South Meadow Road
15
Turn left
200 ft
·
14 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.2 miles from Cambridge, MA, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 41.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
MA 3
Take the exit onto MA 3 toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
MA 3
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3 toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7
Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
6
41.4 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 15B
Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.75 one way
$15.49 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.45 | $16.89 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.19 | $18.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.69 | $21.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.78 | $3.10 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Carver, MA
Morning in Carver on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
13 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
1h 12m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this entire 48.4-mile trip consists of 0% highway travel. You will spend your time navigating through city and local corridors, requiring your full attention behind the wheel. Because the route relies on surface streets like the Monsignor O'Brien Highway, there are no long, uninterrupted stretches of road to zone out on. The personality of this drive is defined by frequent turns and changing traffic patterns as you navigate from Cambridge toward Carver. Prepare for a more hands-on driving experience that demands constant engagement with the local road network.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.6 mi on MA 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MA 3 and Southeast Expressway. 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 Cambridge Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (MA 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles (I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Cambridge, MA
Full guide →Cambridge is a city in Massachusetts, across the Charles River from Boston. It is renowned as the home of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both widely considered to be among the best universities in the world. The city's population was 118,000 in 2020; the fourth largest in the state.
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 12m. Total distance: 48.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.6 miles on MA 3. 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 Carver, 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 (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (MA 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles (I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carver, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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