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Trip from Middletown, CT to Monroe, CT

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

58m

Distance

39.9 mi

64 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 54m ★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
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.

Downtown Middletown, CT, CT

Middletown, CT

David Kanigan

town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

Monroe, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning just 39.9 miles, this straightforward trip from Middletown to Monroe is an ideal candidate for a quick day trip. You can expect to spend about 58 minutes behind the wheel, making it a highly manageable excursion within the Northeast region. Budget roughly $6 for fuel, which keeps this journey very affordable. Because the trip is short and direct, there is no need to plan for overnight stops or elaborate logistics. Whether you are traveling for business or a personal visit, this route offers a practical connection between these two Connecticut towns without demanding much time or financial investment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CT 15 21.4 mi 26m
Meriden Road 4.2 mi 5m
Leavenworth Road 3.4 mi 5m
Washington Street 2.5 mi 5m
Howe Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
Shelton Road 1.6 mi 2m
New Haven Avenue 1.6 mi 2m
Derby Turnpike 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: CT 15 — 21.4 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, CT and Monroe, CT.

1

Start on Washington Street

2.5 mi · 5 min · Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2

Continue on CT 66

4.2 mi · 5 min · Meriden Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 1B Toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven Use the slight left lane.
4

Merge onto I 91

0.1 mi · 11 sec · I 91
5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 17 Toward CT 15 South Use the slight right lane.
6

Keep slight left at fork

437 ft · 8 sec
Toward CT 15 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto CT 15

21 mi · 26 min · CT 15
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec
Exit 42B Toward CT 34 West: Derby Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn right onto CT 34

1.2 mi · 1 min · Derby Turnpike
10

Continue on CT 34

1.6 mi · 2 min · New Haven Avenue
11

Continue on CT 34

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Derby Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12

Turn left onto CT 34

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
Use the left lane.
13

Turn left onto Bridge Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Bridge Street
14

Turn right onto CT 110

1.7 mi · 3 min · Howe Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Continue on CT 110

3.4 mi · 5 min · Leavenworth Road
16

Continue on CT 110

1.6 mi · 2 min · Shelton Road
17

Enter roundabout onto CT 111

30 ft · 0 sec · Monroe Turnpike
18

Continue on CT 111

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Monroe Turnpike
19

Turn left onto Fan Hill Road

382 ft · 10 sec · Fan Hill Road
20

Arrive at destination

Fan Hill Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wallingford, CT

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Trumbull, CT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hamden, CT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20 miles from Middletown, CT, 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 6.7 and 32.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
6.7 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 1B Toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven
7
7.1 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward CT 15 South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 17 Toward CT 15 South
7
7.5 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CT 15 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CT 15 South
7
29 mi into trip | ~38m in

Take the exit toward CT 34 West: Derby

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 42B Toward CT 34 West: Derby
6
32.9 mi into trip | ~46m in | CT 110 / Howe Avenue

Turn right onto CT 110 / Howe Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.42 one way

$12.85 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $7.07 $14.13
premium $4.86 $7.64 $15.28
diesel $5.61 $8.81 $17.62

Estimated Tolls: $0.08

Derby Turnpike (1.2 mi) $0.08

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$0

Total

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 14 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 12 0 $4.19 $1.92
Efficient EV 10 0 $3.49 $1.60
EV Truck/SUV 16 0 $5.59 $2.55

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Middletown, CT

Late night in Middletown on Sunday

Local time

3:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Monroe, CT

Late night in Monroe on Sunday

Local time

3:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

55°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

13 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

58m 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 keeps you engaged rather than lulled by a monotonous interstate slog. Your path utilizes a combination of Meriden Road, I-91 South, and CT-15 South to navigate the landscape. Since this route features no highway-heavy stretches, you will spend your time navigating local roads that require more focused attention than a standard highway cruise. Transitioning through these segments makes for a dynamic driving experience that feels more like a local commute than a long-distance haul. Keep your eyes on the road as the frequent turns define the character of this 58-minute trek.

58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.4 mi on CT 15.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.7 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 13 decision points packed into just 39.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 39.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.4 miles on CT 15. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.08 in tolls one way, starting with Derby Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Monroe, CT 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 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. 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 Monroe, CT 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Monroe, CT to Middletown, CT

Plan the drive back the other way.

39.5 mi 57m

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