Origin
Methuen, MA
Morning in Methuen on Sunday
Local time
8:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Methuen, MA to City of Lowell, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
10.6 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Methuen, MA
Italo Melo
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Methuen and Lowell, Massachusetts, you are in for a quick 16.1-mile journey. This trip is easily completed in about 21 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will primarily navigate via Lowell Street, Lowell Boulevard, and Merrimack Avenue rather than relying on major interstates. With an estimated fuel cost of just $3, it is an incredibly budget-friendly route for local commuters or weekend explorers. Since both cities are located within the Northeast region, you can expect a familiar New England atmosphere throughout the entire drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lowell Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Merrimack Avenue | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Lowell Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars Highway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Dutton Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bridge Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Merrimack Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Middlesex Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lowell Street
— 3.6 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Methuen, MA and City of Lowell, MA.
1
Start on Osgood Street
76 ft
·
4 sec
·
Osgood Street
2
Turn left onto MA 113
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lowell Street
3
Continue on MA 110; MA 113
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Lowell Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto MA 110
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lowell Street
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on MA 110
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Boulevard
6
Continue on MA 110
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Merrimack Avenue
7
Continue on MA 110
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans of Foreign Wars Highway
8
Turn left onto Bridge Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Bridge Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto Merrimack Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Merrimack Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto Dutton Street
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Dutton Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on Thorndike Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Thorndike Street
12
Turn right onto Middlesex Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Middlesex Street
13
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
5 sec
·
Arch Street
14
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 10.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MA 110 / Lowell Street
Turn left onto MA 110 / Lowell Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Bridge Street
Turn left onto Bridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
Merrimack Street
Turn right onto Merrimack Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
Dutton Street
Turn left onto Dutton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
10.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Arch Street
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.70 one way
$3.39 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $1.85 | $3.70 |
| premium | $4.82 | $2.01 | $4.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.34 | $4.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.93 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
City of Lowell, MA
Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
8:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
W 3 mph
0% chance
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
16 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
18m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate through local infrastructure, which requires your full attention on road signs and turns. Because the route relies entirely on surface roads, you won't encounter any long, monotonous stretches of highway driving. Instead, the journey maintains a steady, localized pace from start to finish. This profile is ideal if you prefer navigating through residential and commercial corridors over the fast-paced environment of a multi-lane expressway.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.6 mi on Lowell Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near MA 110 / Lowell Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 10.6 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: at 2 miles (MA 110 / Lowell Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (Merrimack Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 10.6 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 (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.6 miles on Lowell Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 2 miles (MA 110 / Lowell Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (Merrimack Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Salem Maritime National Historical Park (5 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 City of Lowell, 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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