Origin
Hopedale, MA
Morning in Hopedale on Sunday
Local time
6:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hopedale, MA to Fitchburg, 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
40.1 mi
65 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hopedale, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Fitchburg, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Hopedale and Fitchburg, Massachusetts, this 40-mile trek is a straightforward local connection that typically takes about 56 minutes to complete. Because the route relies entirely on local streets rather than major interstates, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip. You should budget approximately $6 for fuel to cover the distance, making this an economical option for your travel plans. Since both towns reside within the Northeast region, you will remain in familiar New England territory throughout the journey. It is a practical, no-fuss drive that allows you to reach your destination quickly without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 19.5 mi | 22m |
| Main Street | 8.6 mi | 16m |
| Concord Turnpike | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| I 190 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Water Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Seven Bridge Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Cedar Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Abbott Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 19.5 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hopedale, MA and Fitchburg, MA.
1
Start on Hopedale Street
40 ft
·
3 sec
·
Hopedale Street
2
Turn right onto Peace Street
374 ft
·
18 sec
·
Peace Street
3
Turn right onto Dutcher Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Dutcher Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto Adin Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Adin Street
5
At end of road, turn left onto MA 16
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
6
Turn left onto MA 85
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Cedar Street
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
8
Merge onto I 495
19 mi
·
22 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 70
Toward MA 117: Bolton, Stow
10
Keep slight right at fork
377 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 70
Toward MA 117: Bolton, Stow
11
Turn straight onto MA 117
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Main Street
12
Continue on MA 117
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Seven Bridge Road
13
Continue on MA 70; MA 117
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Main Street
14
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
15
Merge onto I 190
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 190
16
Continue on I 190
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 190
Exit 19A
Toward Fitchburg
17
Merge onto MA 2
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Concord Turnpike
18
Turn right onto Abbott Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Abbott Avenue
19
At end of road, turn left onto MA 12
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Water Street
20
Continue on MA 2A
366 ft
·
9 sec
·
Water Street
21
Turn left onto Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
22
Turn left
118 ft
·
8 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Hopedale, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Peace Street
Turn right onto Peace Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Dutcher Street
Turn right onto Dutcher Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
MA 85 / Cedar Street
Turn left onto MA 85 / Cedar Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward MA 117: Bolton, Stow
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 70
Toward MA 117: Bolton, Stow
8
23.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 117: Bolton, Stow
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 70
Toward MA 117: Bolton, Stow
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.42 one way
$12.84 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
| premium | $4.82 | $7.61 | $15.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.85 | $17.71 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.20
Concord Turnpike
(2.8 mi)
$0.20
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.57 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Fitchburg, MA
Morning in Fitchburg on Sunday
Local time
6:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
Berlin, MA
20 mi in
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
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 as you navigate through the heart of the region. With zero percent highway share, you will spend the entire 56-minute duration on surface roads like Peace Street, Dutcher Street, and Adin Street. This is not a high-speed interstate cruise; instead, it is a technical route that requires your full attention to navigate the frequent changes in direction. Because the drive is strictly local, you will not encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of highway. Instead, the road demands a steady pace as you transition between these neighborhood thoroughfares to reach your destination.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.5 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Main Street. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Peace 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 40.1 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (Peace Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Dutcher Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (MA 85 / Cedar Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Hopedale, MA to Fitchburg, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Stow along the way.
Stow
23.5 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Arriving in Fitchburg, MA
Full guide →Fitchburg is a small city in central Massachusetts and is home to Fitchburg State University. Fitchburg's main attraction is the Fitchburg Art Museum, while in the Harry Potter universe, the city plays host to the Fitchburg Finches Quidditch Team.
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 1h. Total distance: 40.1 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 (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.5 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.20 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 Fitchburg, 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: near the start (Peace Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Dutcher Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (MA 85 / Cedar Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fitchburg, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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