Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
11.1 mi
18 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Portland, CT
MART PRODUCTION
The drive from Meriden, CT to Portland, CT covers 11.1 miles and takes about 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CT 66, I 691, Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.2 miles on CT 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 66 | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| I 691 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lewis Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Grand Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Liberty Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Newfield Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Meriden, CT and Portland, CT.
Start on West Main Street
Turn right onto Lewis Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 691
Continue on CT 66
Turn left onto CT 3
Turn right onto Liberty Street
Continue on Prospect Street
Turn right onto Grand Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 66
Take the exit onto CT 17; CT 66
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Depart onto West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Lewis Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 691 East: Middletown
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Liberty Street
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto CT 66 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.85 one way
$3.70 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $2.05 | $4.10 |
| premium | $5.07 | $2.21 | $4.43 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $2.45 | $4.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.17 | $0.53 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.97 | $0.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.55 | $0.71 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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 Meriden on Saturday
Local time
9:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Portland on Saturday
Local time
9:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
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.
11.1 mi in 18m, mostly highway — 6.2 mi of that is on CT 66.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 66 and I 691. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Main Street.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 11.1 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (Lewis Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
490 ft
Total Descent
554 ft
Highest Point
489 ft
~4.8 mi in
Elevation Range
471 ft
Founded 1867
Meriden is a city in the Connecticut River Valley. Although not a major tourist destination, it does have an architecturally notable center.
Top landmarks
Founded 1841
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 11.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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