Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
42.7 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
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.
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Sunderland, MA
Italo Melo
This 42.7-mile drive from the City of Lowell, MA, to Sunderland, MA, is designed for efficiency, taking just about 54 minutes. It's a perfect day trip, requiring no overnight stays, and with a fuel cost estimated at $7, it's a budget-friendly option. The route is heavily focused on highway travel, making it a straightforward journey through the Northeast region of Massachusetts. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, which means you can cover the distance quickly. Given the short duration and highway-centric profile, this trip is ideal for a quick transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 23.4 mi | 27m |
| I 290 | 12.7 mi | 15m |
| Grafton Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Massasoit Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Summer Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Goldsberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between City of Lowell, MA and Sunderland, MA.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Arch Street
Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street
Turn right onto Grand Street
Turn right onto MA 110
Turn left onto Plain Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto Lowell Connector
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto I 290
Take the exit
Continue on Goldsberry Street
Continue on Summer Street
Enter roundabout onto Grafton Street
Continue on Grafton Street
Continue on MA 122
Enter roundabout onto MA 122
Continue on MA 122
Turn right onto Massasoit Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21.3 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 39.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
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
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Marlboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward Ware, Framingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.67 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.45 | $14.90 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.11 | $16.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.43 | $18.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Chance Light Rain
Destination
Morning in Sunderland on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
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.
Expect a highway-focused drive for 85% of this journey. The route primarily utilizes I-495 and I-290, offering a fast-paced experience for much of the 42.7 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.4 miles on I-495, allowing for a consistent speed. While Grafton Street is part of the route, the overall character remains dominated by high-speed interstate conditions. This drive is less about scenic detours and more about efficient travel between your origin and destination.
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.
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 17 decision points packed into just 42.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
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.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between City of Lowell, MA and Sunderland, MA, road signs point toward Nashua New Hampshire, Ware and Framingham.
Nashua New Hampshire
Ware
Framingham
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 42.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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