Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
East Pepperell, MA
Mohan Nannapaneni
Cambridge, MA to East Pepperell, MA is 38.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 2 minutes via US 3, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, moving from the Northeast region's urban edge into a more suburban and semi-rural landscape. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for a quick excursion or a commute. You'll find this route offers a practical way to travel between these two points without a significant time commitment or cost. Consider this a simple point-to-point drive with minimal fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 3 | 17.9 mi | 21m |
| Cambridge Street | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Pleasant Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | 2 mi | 5m |
| Cambridge Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| Lowell Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Dunstable Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Mystic Street | 1.5 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 111 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~6,131 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~235 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
26.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 100 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and East Pepperell, MA.
Start on Leonard Avenue
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Turn straight
Turn straight onto MA 2A
Turn right onto MA 16
Turn left onto Broadway
Turn straight onto Warren Street
At end of road, turn left onto MA 60
Turn right onto US 3; MA 2A
Continue on US 3
Continue on US 3
Continue on US 3
Take the exit onto US 3
Merge onto I 95; US 3; MA 128
Take the exit onto US 3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto Westford Road
Turn right onto Dunstable Road
Continue on Lowell Street
Turn straight onto MA 113
Turn straight onto MA 113
Continue on MA 113
Turn left onto Leighton Street
At end of road, turn right onto Groton Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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.
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.1 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 11.7 and 29.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit onto US 3 toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left 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
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
Take the exit toward Westford Road, Tyngsboro, Westford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Westford Road, Westford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.39 one way
$12.78 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $7.03 | $14.07 |
| premium | $5.06 | $7.63 | $15.25 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.44 | $16.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Cambridge on Tuesday
Local time
1:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in East Pepperell on Tuesday
Local time
1:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Clear
78°F
Medford, MA
19 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
About half of this 38.3-mile drive is on highways, with the longest stretch at 17.9 miles on US 3. You'll experience a mixed highway and surface road profile, meaning you'll transition from faster-paced sections to slower, more local streets. Expect to see a higher density of exits as you navigate the initial highway portion before shifting to more typical surface road conditions. This mix means you'll need to adjust your driving style as the environment changes.
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 11.7 miles in near US 3.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 38.3 miles you will encounter 19 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 11.7 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.9 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.1 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
375 ft
Total Descent
173 ft
Highest Point
226 ft
~10.9 mi in
Elevation Range
215 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cambridge, MA and East Pepperell, MA, road signs point toward Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Tyngsboro and Westford.
Lowell
Middlesex Turnpike
Burlington
Nashua New Hampshire
Tyngsboro
Westford
Founded 1630
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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