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 Grafton, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
42.6 mi
69 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Grafton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Lowell to Grafton, you are facing a 42.6-mile journey that typically takes about 59 minutes to complete. This is strictly a local trek, meaning you will not be hopping on any major highways for this trip. Because the entire route consists of local roads, you should budget approximately $7 for fuel to cover the distance. Given the short duration, this drive is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, leaving you plenty of time at your destination. Both the starting point of Lowell and the destination of Grafton are located within the Northeast region, keeping the environment familiar throughout the transit. It is a straightforward, practical commute rather than a long-haul road trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 23.4 mi | 27m |
| I 290 | 7 mi | 8m |
| Memorial Drive | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Worcester Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Boylston Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Grafton Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Shrewsbury Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 23.4 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Grafton, 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
23 mi
·
27 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 65B
Toward I 290 West: Worcester
12
Merge onto I 290
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 26A
Toward MA 140 South: Shrewsbury
14
Continue on MA 140
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Boylston Street
15
Continue on MA 140
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Grafton Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on MA 140
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Grafton Circle
17
Continue on MA 140
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Drive
18
Continue on MA 140
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Shrewsbury Street
19
Continue on MA 140
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
20
Turn straight onto MA 122; MA 140
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Worcester Street
21
Arrive at destination
MA 140
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 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 125 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.
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.
5
26.2 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 290 West: Worcester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 65B
Toward I 290 West: Worcester
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.82 one way
$13.64 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.43 | $14.87 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.09 | $16.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.41 | $18.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.73 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.96 | $2.73 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Grafton, MA
Late night in Grafton on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°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
24 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
59m 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 turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. You will navigate through local infrastructure using Cambridge Street, Chelmsford Street, and Plain Street to reach your destination. Because the highway share is 0%, you won't experience the monotony of high-speed interstate travel; instead, you will be managing frequent turns and urban or suburban road conditions. There are no long, uninterrupted stretches on this route, as the focus is on navigating local streets from start to finish. Be prepared for a driving experience that feels more like an extended town-to-town commute than a highway cruise.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.4 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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.
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 12 decision points packed into just 42.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 42.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.4 miles on I 495. 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 Grafton, 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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Grafton, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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