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Trip from Lawrence, MA to Arlington, MA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

35m

Distance

24.4 mi

39 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 33m ★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Lawrence, MA, MA

Lawrence, MA

Wikimedia Commons

town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

Arlington, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling the 24.4 miles from Lawrence to Arlington is a straightforward journey typically taking about 35 minutes. This route stays within the Northeast region, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily utilize I-93, I-495, and Washington Street to complete the transit. With a fuel cost estimate of $4, it is a very budget-friendly trip for commuters or weekend travelers. Because the drive is short and direct, you have total flexibility in your scheduling. It serves as a practical connection between these two Massachusetts locations without the need for complex planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 93 13.4 mi 15m
I 495 2.2 mi 2m
Washington Street 2 mi 4m
Mystic Street 1.6 mi 2m
Church Street 1 mi 1m
Cambridge Street 0.8 mi <1m
South Union Street 0.5 mi <1m
Parker Street 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 93 — 13.4 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lawrence, MA and Arlington, MA.

1

Start on Essex Street

82 ft · 5 sec · Essex Street
2

Turn right onto Amesbury Street

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Amesbury Street
3

Continue on MA 114

0.5 mi · 56 sec · Parker Street
4

Continue on MA 114

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Winthrop Avenue
5

Turn right onto South Union Street

0.5 mi · 54 sec · South Union Street
6

Continue on Connector Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Connector Road
7

Turn straight onto MA 28

162 ft · 4 sec · South Broadway
8

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward I 495 South: Lowell, Marlboro Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 495

2.2 mi · 2 min · I 495
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Exit 97A Toward I 93 South: Boston Use the right lane.
11

Merge onto I 93

13 mi · 15 min · I 93
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Exit 27 Toward Montvale Avenue, Stoneham, Woburn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Turn right onto Montvale Avenue

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Montvale Avenue
14

Turn left onto Washington Street

2.0 mi · 4 min · Washington Street
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto Mount Vernon Street

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Mount Vernon Street
16

Enter roundabout onto Church Street

316 ft · 6 sec · Church Street
17

Continue on Church Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · Church Street
18

Turn left onto US 3

0.8 mi · 57 sec · Cambridge Street
19

Continue on US 3

1.6 mi · 2 min · Mystic Street
20

Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Massachusetts Avenue
Use the right lane.
21

Turn left onto Academy Street

320 ft · 18 sec · Academy Street
22

Turn left

203 ft · 14 sec
23

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 20.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 495 South: Lowell, Marlboro

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 495 South: Lowell, Marlboro
7
4.5 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward I 93 South: Boston

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

Use the right lane. Exit 97A Toward I 93 South: Boston
5
4.9 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 93

Merge onto I 93

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
18.2 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward Montvale Avenue, Stoneham, Woburn

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 27 Toward Montvale Avenue, Stoneham, Woburn
6
20.8 mi into trip | ~29m in | Church Street

Enter roundabout onto Church Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.90 one way

$7.81 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $4.26 $8.52
premium $4.82 $4.63 $9.27
diesel $5.61 $5.39 $10.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.3 0 $2.56 $1.17
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.14 $0.98
EV Truck/SUV 9.8 0 $3.42 $1.56

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 15, 2026

Origin

Lawrence, MA

Late night in Lawrence on Sunday

Local time

12:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, MA

Late night in Arlington on Sunday

Local time

12:15 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

7 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

35m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 64% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a significant 13.4-mile uninterrupted stretch on I-93, which defines the core personality of the drive. Expect a fast-paced environment that transitions from the regional highway system into local roads like Washington Street. While the interstate segments allow for consistent speeds, the character of the road shifts as you navigate toward your destination. It is a functional, efficient drive designed for getting you from point A to point B with minimal complexity.

64% 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: 13.4 mi on I 93.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 93 and I 495. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 24.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.

Between Lawrence, MA and Arlington, MA, road signs point toward Marlboro, Stoneham and Woburn.

Marlboro

2 mi in | ~3m

Stoneham

18.2 mi in | ~23m

Woburn

18.2 mi in | ~23m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 24.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.4 miles on I 93. 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 Arlington, 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: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles (I 93): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Lowell National Historical Park and Minute Man 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 Arlington, 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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