Origin
Hamden, CT
Late night in Hamden on Tuesday
Local time
4:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hamden, CT to Meriden, CT
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
21m
Distance
14.6 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hamden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 14.6-mile drive from Hamden, CT to Meriden, CT will take you about 21 minutes, making it an ideal quick trip. You'll primarily be on the Wilbur Cross Parkway and then South Broad Street/North Colony Road. With a low fuel cost estimated at $2 and no recommended stops, this route is perfect for a spontaneous journey or as a quick segment within a larger Connecticut exploration. It's a straightforward drive entirely within the Northeast region, specifically Connecticut, and is easily manageable as a same-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| South Broad Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| North Colony Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Whitney Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Dixwell Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Wilbur Cross Parkway
— 8.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hamden, CT and Meriden, CT.
1
Start on CT 10
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Whitney Avenue
2
Turn left onto Dixwell Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dixwell Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward CT 15 North: Hartford
4
Merge onto CT 15
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 61
Toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
Use the right lane.
6
Turn right onto US 5
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Colony Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 5
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South Broad Street
8
Turn sharp left onto East Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Use the left lane.
9
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 13.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Dixwell Avenue
Turn left onto Dixwell Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge onto CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 61
Toward US 5: Wallingford, Meriden
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 5 / North Colony Road
Turn right onto US 5 / North Colony Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
13.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
East Main Street
Turn sharp left onto East Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.35 one way
$4.70 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.59 | $5.17 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.80 | $5.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.22 | $6.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.53 | $0.70 |
| Efficient EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.28 | $0.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Meriden, CT
Late night in Meriden on Tuesday
Local time
4:06 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
16 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
21m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 61% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll experience an uninterrupted stretch of 8.8 miles on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, offering a consistent cruising experience. The transition from the parkway to South Broad Street and North Colony Road will introduce more local road elements, though the overall feel remains efficient. Expect a smooth and relatively quick progression on this route.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.8 mi on Wilbur Cross Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wilbur Cross Parkway and South Broad Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near Dixwell Avenue.
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 21m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (Dixwell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Hamden, CT
Full guide →Hamden is a suburb of the city of New Haven, Connecticut. Quinnipiac University has a significant impact on the town. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant". It had about 59,500 in 2025.
Arriving in Meriden, CT
Full guide →Meriden is a city in the Connecticut River Valley. Although not a major tourist destination, it does have an architecturally notable center.
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 21m. Total distance: 14.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.8 miles on Wilbur Cross Parkway. 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 0.9 miles (Dixwell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Meriden, CT 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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