Origin
City of Lowell, MA
Afternoon in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
12:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Lowell, MA to Grafton, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Grafton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 43 miles through the heart of Massachusetts, this drive connects Lowell to Grafton in about one hour. Because the entire route consists of local roads rather than high-speed interstates, it functions perfectly as a straightforward day trip. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel for the journey, making it a very budget-friendly excursion. Since the trip is relatively short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. Whether you are traveling for business or a quick change of scenery, the simplicity of this local transit makes it an easy addition to your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 23.4 mi | 27m |
| I 290 | 7 mi | 8m |
| Memorial Drive | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Worcester Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Boylston Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Grafton Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 23.4 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Lowell, MA and Grafton, 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
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Connector
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 2B-A
Toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
12
Merge onto I 495
23 mi
·
27 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 65B
Toward I 290 West: Worcester
14
Merge onto I 290
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 26A
Toward MA 140 South: Shrewsbury
16
Continue on MA 140
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Boylston Street
17
Continue on MA 140
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Grafton Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on MA 140
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Grafton Circle
19
Continue on MA 140
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Drive
20
Continue on MA 140
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Shrewsbury Street
21
Continue on MA 140
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
22
Turn straight onto MA 122; MA 140
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Worcester Street
23
Arrive at destination
MA 140
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from City of Lowell, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 3.2 — 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
8
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B-A
Toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nash...
8
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Marlboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.88 one way
$13.76 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.50 | $15.01 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.16 | $16.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 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 | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
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.
Destination
Grafton, MA
Afternoon in Grafton on Sunday
Local time
12:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
39°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
24 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 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 experience rather than a high-speed interstate grind, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate via Arch Street, Middlesex Street, and Grand Street, keeping your focus on constant adjustments rather than cruising. Because the drive is composed entirely of local roads, you won't encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of highway. Instead, the character of the road remains consistent as you wind through the Northeast landscape. Be prepared for a more engaged driving style that requires your full attention throughout the entire 43-mile duration.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.4 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and I 290. 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
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43 miles you will encounter 14 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 (Middlesex Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
636 ft
96 ft
Total Climb
814 ft
Total Descent
438 ft
Highest Point
636 ft
~33.8 mi in
Elevation Range
541 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Grafton, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Nashua New Hampshire along the way.
Nashua New Hampshire
2.2 mi in
|
~4m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.4 miles on I 495. 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 Grafton, 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 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Grafton, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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