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Trip from City of Lowell, MA to Arlington, MA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

30m

Distance

21.4 mi

34 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown City of Lowell, MA, MA

City of Lowell, MA

Phil Evenden

town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Arlington, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Stretching just 21.4 miles, this quick trip from Lowell to Arlington is an effortless transit through the Northeast that takes about 30 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, you can easily tackle this drive in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via US 3, the Lowell Connector, and Cambridge Street to reach your destination. With an estimated fuel cost of just $3, it is a highly economical route for your commute or weekend errands. This path offers a straightforward transition between these two Massachusetts cities, making it an ideal choice for drivers who prefer efficiency over a long-haul journey.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 3 10.7 mi 13m
Cambridge Street 2.4 mi 2m
Lowell Connector 2.1 mi 2m
Cambridge Road 2 mi 2m
Mystic Street 1.6 mi 2m
Yankee Division Highway 0.9 mi 1m
Chelmsford Street 0.7 mi 1m
Grand Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 3 — 10.7 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Lowell, MA and Arlington, MA.

1

Start on this road

0.1 mi · 40 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Arch Street

15 ft · 8 sec · Arch Street
3

Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street

383 ft · 12 sec · Middlesex Street
4

Turn right onto Grand Street

0.2 mi · 53 sec · Grand Street
5

Turn right onto MA 110

0.7 mi · 1 min · Chelmsford Street
6

Turn left onto Plain Street

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Plain Street
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
8

Merge onto Lowell Connector

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lowell Connector
9

Continue on Lowell Connector

1.1 mi · 1 min · Lowell Connector
Exit 1A Toward US 3 South: Boston
10

Merge onto US 3

9.1 mi · 10 min · US 3
11

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3

1.0 mi · 2 min · US 3
Exit 72A Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3

0.3 mi · 43 sec · US 3
13

Merge onto I 95; US 3; MA 128

0.9 mi · 1 min · Yankee Division Highway
14

Take the exit onto US 3

0.2 mi · 31 sec · US 3
Exit 51A Toward US 3 South: Winchester Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto US 3

0.4 mi · 34 sec · Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16

Continue on US 3

2.0 mi · 2 min · Cambridge Road
17

Continue on US 3

1.9 mi · 2 min · Cambridge Street
18

Continue on US 3

1.6 mi · 2 min · Mystic Street
19

Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Massachusetts Avenue
Use the right lane.
20

Turn left onto Academy Street

320 ft · 18 sec · Academy Street
21

Turn left

203 ft · 14 sec
22

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 21.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Middlesex Street

Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

9
12.7 mi into trip | ~17m in | US 3

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3 toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 72A Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
7
15 mi into trip | ~21m in | US 3

Take the exit onto US 3 toward US 3 South: Winchester

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 51A Toward US 3 South: Winchester
5
15.2 mi into trip | ~21m in | US 3 / Cambridge Street

Merge onto US 3 / Cambridge Street

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

Use the left / straight lanes.
5
21.1 mi into trip | ~29m in | Massachusetts Avenue

Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.42 one way

$6.85 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $3.73 $7.47
premium $4.82 $4.06 $8.13
diesel $5.61 $4.72 $9.45

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 57% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.4 0 $2.25 $1.03
Efficient EV 5.4 0 $1.87 $0.86
EV Truck/SUV 8.6 0 $3.00 $1.37

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (57% 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 17, 2026

Origin

City of Lowell, MA

Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday

Local time

9:26 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, MA

Morning in Arlington on Sunday

Local time

9:26 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Slight Chance Light Rain then Patchy Fog

S 2 to 8 mph 22% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 10:09PM EDT by NWS Albany 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

7 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

30m 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 mixed driving experience that transitions between high-speed infrastructure and local transit. Roughly 50% of your time will be spent on highway-grade roads, providing a steady flow of traffic before you reach the final segments. Your longest uninterrupted stretch covers 10.7 miles on US 3, which acts as the main artery for the first half of your trip. As you move away from the Lowell Connector and shift onto local surface streets, the pace naturally slows down. This balance keeps the journey from feeling like a monotonous interstate slog while ensuring you make consistent progress toward Arlington.

50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.7 mi on US 3.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

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 0.1 miles in near Middlesex Street.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 21.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Middlesex Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.7 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

On the drive from City of Lowell, MA to Arlington, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Peabody along the way.

Peabody

12.7 mi in | ~17m | via US 3

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 21.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (50%). 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 10.7 miles on US 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 Arlington, 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 (Middlesex Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.7 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Arlington, 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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