Origin
Lawrence, MA
Late night in Lawrence on Sunday
Local time
2:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lawrence, MA to Watertown, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
28.8 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lawrence, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Watertown, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 28.8-mile drive from Lawrence to Watertown, Massachusetts, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 45 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily navigate on I-93 and Pleasant Street, with a portion on I-495. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this route offers a practical way to travel within the Northeast region. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of highway speeds and local road conditions. Given its short duration and minimal stops recommended, this journey is best enjoyed in a single day without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 93 | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| Pleasant Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| I 495 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Washington Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Mystic Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Church Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Cambridge Street | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Orchard Street | 0.8 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 Watertown, 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
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on MA 60
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Pleasant Street
21
Continue on MA 60
95 ft
·
10 sec
·
Pleasant Street
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto Trapelo Road
384 ft
·
8 sec
·
Trapelo Road
23
Turn slight right onto Lexington Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Street
24
At end of road, turn right onto Belmont Street
187 ft
·
3 sec
·
Belmont Street
25
Turn slight left onto Lexington Street
303 ft
·
15 sec
·
Lexington Street
26
Turn slight left onto Orchard Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Street
27
Enter roundabout onto Church Street
14 ft
·
0 sec
·
Church Street
28
Continue on Church Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Church Street
29
Turn sharp right onto Oliver Street
428 ft
·
19 sec
·
Oliver Street
30
Arrive at destination
Oliver Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 28.8 — 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
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
6
28.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Oliver Street
Turn sharp right onto Oliver Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.61 one way
$9.22 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.03 | $10.05 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.47 | $10.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.36 | $12.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Watertown, MA
Late night in Watertown on Sunday
Local time
2:03 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
45m 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 mixed drive on this 28.8-mile journey, with 54% of the route being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.4 miles on I-93, offering a chance to maintain steady speeds. As you transition between I-93, Pleasant Street, and I-495, you'll experience a change in road character, moving from interstate driving to more local thoroughfares. This blend means you'll have periods of faster travel interspersed with sections that might require more attention to traffic signals and local road conditions.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
30 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 route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 18 decision points packed into just 28.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
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 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
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 Watertown, 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
About the Cities
Starting 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).
Arriving in Watertown, MA
Full guide →Watertown is a city in the Greater Boston metropolitan area of Massachusetts.
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 45m. Total distance: 28.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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 Watertown, 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 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Watertown, 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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