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Trip from Holden, 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

Distance

41.7 mi

67 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States

Holden, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown City of Lowell, MA, MA

City of Lowell, MA

Phil Evenden

Trip Overview

This 43-mile drive from Holden to the City of Lowell in Massachusetts is a manageable trip, estimated to take about 51 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day adventure, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily navigate local roads like Maple Street, Main Street, and Highland Street, with no highway driving involved, so expect a more connected local experience. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $7, making it an economical option. This route stays within the Northeast region and Massachusetts, offering a straightforward travel experience through familiar territory.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Concord Turnpike 11.1 mi 15m
I 495 10.2 mi 11m
I 190 9.1 mi 10m
Chelmsford Street 2.9 mi 5m
Manning Street 1.9 mi 3m
Highland Street 1.4 mi 2m
Raymond Huntington Highway 1.2 mi 1m
Wachusett Street 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Concord Turnpike — 11.1 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Holden, MA and City of Lowell, MA.

1

Start on this road

111 ft · 9 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Maple Street

301 ft · 18 sec · Maple Street
3

Turn left onto MA 122A

422 ft · 14 sec · Main Street
4

Turn left onto MA 31

1.4 mi · 2 min · Highland Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5

Continue on MA 31

0.6 mi · 1 min · Wachusett Street
6

Turn right onto Manning Street

1.9 mi · 3 min · Manning Street
7

Continue on Laurel Street

443 ft · 10 sec · Laurel Street
8

Turn left onto Raymond Huntington Highway

1.2 mi · 1 min · Raymond Huntington Highway
9

Continue on Legg Road

0.4 mi · 46 sec · Legg Road
10

Turn right onto MA 140

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Redemption Rock Trail
11

Turn left

0.3 mi · 44 sec
12

Merge onto I 190

9.1 mi · 10 min · I 190
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 19B Toward MA 2 East: Boston
14

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 45 sec
Toward MA 2 East: Boston
15

Merge onto Leominster Connector

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Leominster Connector
16

Merge onto MA 2

11 mi · 15 min · Concord Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 59 sec
Exit 113B Toward I 495 North: Lowell Use the right lane.
18

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
19

Merge onto I 495

10 mi · 11 min · I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec
Exit 88 Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
21

Turn right onto MA 110

2.9 mi · 5 min · Chelmsford Street
22

Turn sharp left onto MA 3A

458 ft · 10 sec · Westford Street
23

Turn right onto Grand Street

448 ft · 23 sec · Grand Street
24

At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street

383 ft · 18 sec · Middlesex Street
25

Turn sharp right onto Arch Street

15 ft · 5 sec · Arch Street
26

Turn left

0.1 mi · 38 sec
27

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Leominster, MA

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.

Popular next leg

Leominster, MA to City of Lowell, MA

29.8 mi · 36m

Pacing Suggestions

Lowell, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ayer, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Holden, 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 21

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 41.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | MA 122A / Main Street

Turn left onto MA 122A / Main Street

Navigation decision point

7
27.4 mi into trip | ~39m in

Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lowell

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 113B Toward I 495 North: Lowell
6
27.9 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
6
38.2 mi into trip | ~53m 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
6
41.6 mi into trip | ~59m in | Arch Street

Turn sharp right onto Arch Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.67 one way

$13.35 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $7.28 $14.56
premium $4.82 $7.92 $15.84
diesel $5.61 $9.21 $18.41

Estimated Tolls: $0.78

Concord Turnpike (11.1 mi) $0.78

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$1

Total

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 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 12.5 0 $4.38 $2.00
Efficient EV 10.4 0 $3.65 $1.67
EV Truck/SUV 16.7 0 $5.84 $2.67

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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Holden, MA

Morning in Holden on Sunday

Local time

6:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 6 to 10 mph 33% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 14 at 2:52PM EDT until April 14 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY

Destination

City of Lowell, MA

Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday

Local time

6:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

79°F

Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 2 to 8 mph 38% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 14 at 2:52PM EDT until April 14 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY

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

1 degrees cooler 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

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?

Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive on this route. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating a series of local streets, including Maple Street, Main Street, and Highland Street, for the entire 43 miles. This means you'll be more engaged with the road and the surrounding areas, rather than cruising on high-speed highways. There isn't a 'longest stretch' to worry about, as the nature of this drive implies frequent intersections and changes in direction. Expect a steady pace as you transition through various local settings.

73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.1 mi on Concord Turnpike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Concord Turnpike and I 495. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MA 122A / Main Street.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.7 miles you will encounter 21 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 0.1 miles (MA 122A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 27.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Holden, MA and City of Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Lawrence and Lowell.

Lawrence

27.9 mi in | ~40m

Lowell

38.2 mi in | ~53m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 41.7 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 (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11.1 miles on Concord Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.78 in tolls one way, starting with Concord Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 City of 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 0.1 miles (MA 122A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 27.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 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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Return Trip

City of Lowell, MA to Holden, MA

Plan the drive back the other way.

41.9 mi 1h

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