Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
39.5 mi
64 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Canton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Lowell to Canton covers 39.5 miles across the Northeast, making this a quick, efficient trip that you can easily complete in about 57 minutes. Because the duration is so manageable, this is a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $6 on fuel for the entire journey, keeping your transit costs low. The route relies on a combination of the Yankee Division Highway, US 3, and the Lowell Connector to navigate through Massachusetts. Whether you are heading south for business or a visit, the lack of necessary stops means you can reach your destination without breaking up the drive.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Yankee Division Highway | 22.1 mi | 29m |
| US 3 | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Lowell Connector | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Dedham Street | 1.9 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| University Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Canton Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Canton, MA.
Start on Hale Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Turn left onto MA 110
Turn left onto Plain Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto Lowell Connector
Continue on Lowell Connector
Merge onto US 3
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto University Avenue
Turn left onto Canton Street
Continue on Dedham Street
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
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.
A short stop after about 39.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.8 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 36.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South: Providence Rhode Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 South: University Avenue, MBTA/Amtrak Station
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto Canton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.32 one way
$12.64 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $6.89 | $13.79 |
| premium | $4.82 | $7.50 | $15.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.72 | $17.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 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 | 11.9 | 0 | $4.15 | $1.90 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.46 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Lowell on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Canton on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your attention as you navigate through the region. While roughly 23% of the journey takes place on highways, the experience is defined more by its technical, local nature than by long, monotonous stretches. You will spend your longest uninterrupted period covering 22.1 miles on the Yankee Division Highway. The character of the road shifts as you transition from the Lowell area onto the highway, eventually moving into the local segments that define the final approach to Canton. Be prepared for a varied experience behind the wheel that keeps you engaged rather than just cruising on a straight interstate.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 Cambridge Street.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 39.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles (I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
379 ft
Total Descent
381 ft
Highest Point
234 ft
~31.1 mi in
Elevation Range
183 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lowell, MA to Canton, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Mbta/Amtrak Station along the way.
Mbta/Amtrak Station
Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 39.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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