Origin
Franklin, MA
Morning in Franklin on Sunday
Local time
6:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, MA to City of Lowell, 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 3m
Distance
50.1 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, MA
Italo Melo
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Franklin, MA to the City of Lowell, MA is 50.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I 495, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, traveling from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a straightforward journey primarily on major highways, making it a convenient option for a quick trip between these two points. Given its relatively short duration and focus on interstate travel, this route is best suited for those looking for efficiency rather than a leisurely exploration. Consider this if you need to get from Franklin to Lowell without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 44.5 mi | 51m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| West Central Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Emmons Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Westford Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grand Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Middlesex Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 44.5 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, MA and City of Lowell, MA.
1
Start on this road
46 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Depot Street
256 ft
·
13 sec
·
Depot Street
3
Turn right onto Main Street
420 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto Emmons Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Emmons Street
5
Turn right onto MA 140
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Central Street
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 495 North: Marlboro, Lowell
7
Merge onto I 495
44 mi
·
51 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
9
Turn right onto MA 110
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Chelmsford Street
10
Turn sharp left onto MA 3A
458 ft
·
10 sec
·
Westford Street
11
Turn right onto Grand Street
448 ft
·
23 sec
·
Grand Street
12
At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street
383 ft
·
18 sec
·
Middlesex Street
13
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
5 sec
·
Arch Street
14
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25 miles from Franklin, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 50 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
46.5 mi into trip
|
~55m 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
5
49.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
MA 3A / Westford Street
Turn sharp left onto MA 3A / Westford Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
49.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
Middlesex Street
At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street
Navigation decision point
6
50 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
Arch Street
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.02 one way
$16.04 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.74 | $17.49 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.51 | $19.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.06 | $22.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 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 | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.01 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
City of Lowell, MA
Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
6:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Chance Light Rain
NE 1 to 8 mph
42% chance
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
26 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 3m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with 89% of the journey taking place on high-speed roads. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 495, including one uninterrupted stretch of 44.5 miles. This means you can expect a consistent pace for most of the trip. While the bulk of the drive is on the interstate, you will transition onto local roads like Chelmsford Street and West Central Street as you approach your destination in Lowell. Be prepared for a shift in speed and traffic patterns during these final miles.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.5 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 2.1 miles in near I 495.
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 3m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.7 miles (MA 3A / Westford Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
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 Franklin, MA to City of Lowell, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Lowell along the way.
Lowell
46.5 mi in
|
~55m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.5 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 2.1 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.7 miles (MA 3A / Westford Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
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 City of 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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