Origin
Grafton, MA
Late night in Grafton on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grafton, MA to 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
Distance
42.4 mi
68 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grafton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Grafton to Lowell, you are looking at a 43.4-mile journey across the Northeast. Clocking in at approximately 49 minutes, this drive is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You will navigate primarily via Worcester Street, North Main Street, and Shrewsbury Street, keeping your fuel costs to a modest $7. Because the route is entirely local, you can expect a very different experience than a typical interstate slog. It is a straightforward trip that links two distinct Massachusetts communities without the need for complex highway navigation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 22.8 mi | 26m |
| I 290 | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Memorial Drive | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Worcester Street | 2 mi | 5m |
| Boylston Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Grafton Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Shrewsbury Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 22.8 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grafton, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on MA 140
84 ft
·
9 sec
·
Worcester Street
2
Continue on MA 140
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Worcester Street
3
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 30; MA 140
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
4
Turn straight onto MA 140
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Shrewsbury Street
5
Continue on MA 140
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Drive
6
Continue on MA 140
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Grafton Circle
7
Continue on MA 140
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Grafton Street
8
Continue on MA 140
480 ft
·
16 sec
·
Boylston Street
9
Continue on MA 140
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Boylston Street
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 290 East: Marlboro
11
Merge onto I 290
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
I 290
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
2 min
Exit 32B
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
13
Merge onto I 495
23 mi
·
26 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
15
Turn right onto MA 110
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Chelmsford Street
16
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
17
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
18
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.2 miles from Grafton, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 42.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
MA 30; MA 140 / North Main Street
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 30; MA 140 / North Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
15.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 32B
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
5
16.6 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
39.4 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
4
42.2 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.79 one way
$13.57 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.40 | $14.80 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.05 | $16.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.36 | $18.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 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 | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.71 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
24 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 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will spend your time navigating local thoroughfares, which requires your full attention at the wheel. The absence of long, uninterrupted highway stretches means the pace is dictated by local traffic patterns and turns. Since you are staying off the major interstates, the character of the road remains consistent throughout the 43.4-mile distance. It is a practical, functional drive that keeps you engaged with the local road network from start to finish.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and I 290. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near MA 30; MA 140 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 42.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 2 miles (MA 30; MA 140 / North Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 16.6 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 42.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.8 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lowell, MA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 miles (MA 30; MA 140 / North Main Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 16.6 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Boston 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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