Origin
Douglas, MA
Late night in Douglas on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Douglas, MA to Lowell, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
53.4 mi
86 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Douglas, MA
Lauri Poldre
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Douglas, MA to Lowell, MA is 53.4 miles and takes about 1h 17m via I 495, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, making it a convenient journey within the Northeast region. It's a fairly straightforward drive, primarily on highways, so you won't encounter many complex turns or extensive city navigation. Plan for this to be a quick excursion, perfect for a day trip or a short commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 33.9 mi | 39m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| West Main Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Church Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Pleasant Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Lackey Dam Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Quaker Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 33.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Douglas, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on this road
37 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn slight left onto Common Street
336 ft
·
14 sec
·
Common Street
3
Turn slight left onto MA 16
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
4
Continue on MA 16
407 ft
·
11 sec
·
Northeast Main Street
5
Turn straight onto North Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Street
6
Turn right onto Gilboa Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Gilboa Street
7
Continue on Lackey Dam Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Lackey Dam Road
8
Continue on Douglas Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Douglas Road
9
Continue on Douglas Road
396 ft
·
12 sec
·
Douglas Road
10
Turn right onto Main Street
168 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street
11
Turn slight left onto Church Street
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Church Street
12
At end of road, turn left onto Quaker Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Quaker Street
13
Continue on Pleasant Street
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Pleasant Street
14
Turn slight left onto School Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
School Street
15
Turn slight right onto Hopkinton Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Hopkinton Road
16
Continue on West Main Street
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Main Street
17
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
18
Merge onto I 495
34 mi
·
39 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
20
Turn right onto MA 110
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Chelmsford Street
21
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
22
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
23
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.7 miles from Douglas, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 6 and 53.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Main Street
Turn right onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
8.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Quaker Street
At end of road, turn left onto Quaker Street
Navigation decision point
5
16.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
50.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
4
53.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.55 one way
$17.09 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.32 | $18.64 |
| premium | $4.82 | $10.14 | $20.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.79 | $23.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.48 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
21 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 17m 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?
This route is largely highway-focused, with 63% of your travel time spent on faster roads like I 495. You'll experience a significant stretch of uninterrupted driving for 33.9 miles on I 495, offering a consistent pace. The drive begins with local roads like West Main Street and Chelmsford Street before merging onto the interstate, providing a brief transition from town to highway speeds. Expect a steady, efficient journey for the majority of the trip.
63% 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: 33.9 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Chelmsford Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 6 miles in near Main Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 17m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.2 miles (Quaker Street): Navigation decision point; at 16.5 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lowell, MA
Full guide →Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 53.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.9 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 6 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.2 miles (Quaker Street): Navigation decision point; at 16.5 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Blackstone River Valley 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 Lowell, 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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