Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
9 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
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 Somerville, MA
Phil Evenden
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Somerville, MA to Waltham, MA is 9 miles and takes about 18 minutes via Pleasant Street/Waverley Oaks Road/Lake Street, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a very short drive primarily within the Northeast region and the state of Massachusetts. Expect a local feel for the entire trip, with numerous turns. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick trip between these two adjacent communities, requiring just one day. It's more of a quick connection than an extended journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Waverley Oaks Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Lake Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Powder House Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Medford Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Linden Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Broadway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between City of Somerville, MA and Waltham, MA.
Start on Pembroke Street
Turn left onto Tennyson Street
Turn left onto Medford Street
Continue on Medford Street
Continue on Main Street
Turn left onto Harvard Street
Continue on Warner Street
Enter roundabout onto Powder House Boulevard
Continue on Powder House Boulevard
Turn left onto North Street
At end of road, turn right onto Broadway
Turn left onto Cleveland Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 3; MA 2A
Turn left onto Lake Street
Turn left onto MA 60
Turn straight onto MA 60
Turn left onto MA 60
Continue on MA 60
Turn right onto US 20
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 6.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto Powder House Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
At end of road, turn right onto Broadway
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto US 3; MA 2A / Massachusetts Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto MA 60 / Waverley Oaks Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.44 one way
$2.88 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $1.57 | $3.14 |
| premium | $4.82 | $1.71 | $3.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.99 | $3.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.79 | $0.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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 Somerville on Sunday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Areas Of Fog then Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Waltham on Sunday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Areas Of Fog then Mostly Cloudy
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 drive is characterized by its turn-heavy local nature, with 0% highway share. You'll navigate through a series of local streets, with your longest uninterrupted stretch being 1.9 miles along Pleasant Street. Be prepared for frequent turns as you transition from Pleasant Street to Waverley Oaks Road and then to Lake Street. The road doesn't offer long stretches of highway cruising; instead, it's a continuous local road experience that requires your attention to navigation.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Powder House Boulevard.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9 miles you will encounter 11 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 1.6 miles (Powder House Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.6 miles (Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 3; MA 2A / Massachusetts Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Waltham is a city in the American state of Massachusetts. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of central Boston on the Charles River, and 3 miles from the city limits to the east. Waltham is part of the Greater Boston conurbation; even so, it has a unique character compared to Boston's other suburbs, and is one of the most significant regional centers for employment, culture, education and food in the entire metro area. It is sometimes called "Watch City" because it was home to Waltham Watch Company. Many high-tech companies have made Waltham their home. It is also home to Bentley College and Brandeis University.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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