Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
47.8 mi
77 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
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
Whitinsville, MA
Wikimedia Commons
The City of Lowell to Whitinsville is 47.8 miles and takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes via I 495 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, beginning in the Northeast region and ending in the same area. The majority of this drive is on the interstate, making it a straightforward option for a quick regional hop. You'll find it a practical choice for a day trip or a short commute between these two points.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 34.2 mi | 39m |
| Church Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| West Main Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Pleasant Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Hopkinton Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Quaker Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| School Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 206 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,253 veh/hr typical · worst 4,996
Quietest
2 AM
~290 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between City of Lowell, MA and Whitinsville, 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
Turn straight onto West Main Street
Continue on Hopkinton Road
Turn slight left onto School Street
Continue on Pleasant Street
Continue on Quaker Street
Turn right onto Church Street
Turn right onto Hill Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.9 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 37.4 — 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 West Main Street, Upton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.97 one way
$15.95 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| premium | $5.06 | $9.52 | $19.03 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $10.54 | $21.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in City of Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
11:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
Destination
Night in Whitinsville on Tuesday
Local time
11:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
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.
This route is mostly highway, with 71% of the drive on I 495. You'll experience a longest stretch of 34.2 miles on I 495 before transitioning to surface streets like Church Street and West Main Street. Expect dense exits as you navigate the interstate portion, and a more local feel once you leave the highway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Church Street. 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.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.8 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
389 ft
Total Descent
173 ft
Highest Point
370 ft
~37.5 mi in
Elevation Range
274 ft
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 Whitinsville, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Upton along the way.
Upton
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 47.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from City of Lowell, MA or browse trips ending in Whitinsville, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.
