Origin
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lowell, MA to Ashby, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
32.6 mi
52 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 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Ashby, MA
Ron Lach
Trip Overview
Lowell to Ashby is 32.6 miles and takes about 55 minutes via Main Street and I-495, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, traveling from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a mixed drive that combines highway speeds with local road conditions. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for a relaxed pace and flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | 8.5 mi | 16m |
| I 495 | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Boston Road | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| South Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Great Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Turnpike Road | 2.1 mi | 5m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— 8.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Ashby, MA.
1
Start on Hale Street
486 ft
·
14 sec
·
Hale Street
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
16 sec
·
Cambridge Street
3
Turn left onto MA 110
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Chelmsford Street
4
Turn left onto Plain Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Plain Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
6
Merge onto Lowell Connector
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Connector
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 2B-A
Toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
10
Merge onto I 495
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 80
Toward MA 119: Groton, Acton
12
Turn left onto MA 119
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Great Road
13
Continue on MA 119
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Boston Road
14
Continue on MA 119; MA 225
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
15
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 119
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
16
Continue on MA 111; MA 119
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Road
17
Continue on MA 111; MA 119
396 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Street
18
Continue on MA 119
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
South Road
19
Continue on MA 119
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Town Line Road
20
Continue on MA 119
5.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Main Street
21
Turn right onto Wheeler Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Wheeler Road
22
Continue on Ashby Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Ashby Road
23
Continue on Turnpike Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Turnpike Road
24
Continue on Turnpike Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Turnpike Road
25
Turn straight onto MA 119
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Main Street
26
Turn right onto Common Road
121 ft
·
5 sec
·
Common Road
27
Arrive at destination
Common Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.3 miles from Lowell, 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 1.8 and 11.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B-A
Toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nash...
8
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Marlboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward MA 119: Groton, Acton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 80
Toward MA 119: Groton, Acton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.22 one way
$10.43 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.69 | $11.38 |
| premium | $4.82 | $6.19 | $12.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Turnpike Road
(2.1 mi)
$0.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 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 | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.09 |
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
Ashby, MA
Late night in Ashby on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°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
26 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
55m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with about 32% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on Main Street, Boston Road, and I-495, providing a varied driving feel. The longest uninterrupted segment is 8.5 miles on Main Street, which will likely involve lower speeds and local traffic. As you progress, the character of the drive will shift between the efficiency of the interstate and the more community-oriented feel of local roads.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.5 mi on Main Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 32.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Lowell, MA and Ashby, MA, road signs point toward Nashua New Hampshire and Acton.
Nashua New Hampshire
1.8 mi in
|
~3m
Acton
11.2 mi in
|
~14m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 32.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). 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 8.5 miles on Main Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.15 in tolls one way, starting with Turnpike Road. 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 Ashby, 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Ashby, 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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