Origin
Harvard, MA
Late night in Harvard on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harvard, MA to Lawrence, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
30.1 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harvard, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lawrence, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick connection between Harvard and Lawrence, this 31.9-mile journey is a straightforward trek across the Northeast. You can easily complete the drive in about 35 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an incredibly economical route to navigate. You will primarily utilize Massachusetts Avenue, I-495 North, and MA-28 North to reach your destination. Since the entire trip is relatively short, you do not need to worry about booking an overnight stay, giving you plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 24.5 mi | 28m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| South Union Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Parker Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Amesbury Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Winthrop Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Union Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Essex Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 24.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harvard, MA and Lawrence, MA.
1
Start on MA 111
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
2
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 111
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
3
Continue on MA 111
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
5
Merge onto I 495
24 mi
·
28 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 99B
Toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto MA 28
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Union Street
8
Keep slight right at fork onto South Union Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Union Street
9
Turn left onto MA 114
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Winthrop Avenue
10
Continue on MA 114
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Parker Street
11
Continue on Amesbury Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Amesbury Street
12
Turn right onto Canal Street
282 ft
·
6 sec
·
Canal Street
13
Turn left onto Lawrence Street
492 ft
·
18 sec
·
Lawrence Street
14
Turn left onto Essex Street
498 ft
·
11 sec
·
Essex Street
15
Arrive at destination
Essex Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 30 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
27.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 99B
Toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
5
30 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Essex Street
Turn left onto Essex Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.82 one way
$9.63 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.72 | $11.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.65 | $13.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.93 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Lawrence, MA
Late night in Lawrence on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
39m 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 that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route transitions through several different road types as you make your way north. You will find yourself navigating a mix of local roads and highway segments, keeping the pace varied throughout the 35-minute duration. Because the highway share is 0 percent, you should prepare for a more involved driving experience rather than a cruise-control commute. The path requires frequent adjustments, so stay alert as you transition between the various segments of your journey.
81% 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: 24.5 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Massachusetts Avenue. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue.
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 30.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.1 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lawrence, MA
Full guide →Lawrence is a city in Massachusetts with a population of about 89,000 (2020). Methuen is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 53,000 (2020).
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 39m. Total distance: 30.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.5 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 Lawrence, 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 0.3 miles (MA 111 / Massachusetts Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.1 miles (I 495): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Salem Maritime 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 Lawrence, 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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