Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
58.3 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Dudley, MA
Italo Melo
The drive from Lowell, MA to Dudley, MA covers 58.3 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 495, I 290, I 395 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.4 miles on I 495. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.73 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 23.4 mi | 27m |
| I 290 | 19.8 mi | 24m |
| I 395 | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Dudley Oxford Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Dudley Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Charlton Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 164 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,556 veh/hr typical · worst 4,165
Quietest
2 AM
~239 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Dudley, 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
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Merge onto I 290
Continue on I 395
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Sutton Avenue
Continue on Charlton Street
Turn left onto Dudley Road
Continue on Dudley Oxford Road
Continue on Center Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 29.2 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 1.8 and 26.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Marlboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 290 West: Worcester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Regular Gas
$9.73 one way
$19.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $10.71 | $21.41 |
| premium | $5.06 | $11.61 | $23.21 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.85 | $25.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.16 | $3.73 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Night in Lowell on Wednesday
Local time
11:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Dudley on Wednesday
Local time
11:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
75°F
Worcester, MA
29 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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.
58.3 mi in 1h 15m, mostly highway — 23.4 mi of that is on I 495.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and I 290. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.3 miles you will encounter 13 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: 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
815 ft
Total Descent
254 ft
Highest Point
678 ft
~58.3 mi in
Elevation Range
561 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lowell, MA to Dudley, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Oxford Center along the way.
Oxford Center
Founded 1653
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.
Top landmarks
Founded 1714
Dudley is a small town in the South County region of Central Massachusetts. As a rural community with much state forest and other preserved land, most of the activities to do in Dudley are outdoor recreation on parks, ponds, and trails. There is a golf course run by that is open to the public. In the south of the town are a few bars and several local food establishments.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 58.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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