Origin
Milford, MA
Late night in Milford on Sunday
Local time
2:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Milford, MA to 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
54m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Milford, MA
A K
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Milford, MA to Lowell, MA is 43 miles and takes about 54 minutes via I-495, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Massachusetts, covering a short distance ideal for a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, making it a straightforward drive. With no planned stops, this trip is designed for efficiency, getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss. Consider this a quick hop for when you need to get between these two points without a long commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 37.5 mi | 43m |
| Chelmsford Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Cedar Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Bow Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Hale Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cambridge Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Central Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 37.5 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Milford, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on Central Street
118 ft
·
9 sec
·
Central Street
2
Turn left onto North Bow Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
North Bow Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto MA 16
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto MA 85
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Cedar Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell
6
Merge onto I 495
38 mi
·
43 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
8
Turn right onto MA 110
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Chelmsford Street
9
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
10
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
11
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Milford, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Bow Street
Turn left onto North Bow Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 16 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto MA 16 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MA 85 / Cedar Street
Turn left onto MA 85 / Cedar Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
40 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 88
Toward MA 110: Chelmsford, Lowell
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.88 one way
$13.76 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.50 | $15.01 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.16 | $16.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
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
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Sunday
Local time
2:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Areas Of Fog then Mostly Cloudy
E 3 to 8 mph
3% 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
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
54m 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?
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 87% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend the bulk of your time on I-495, which offers a consistent and relatively fast pace for a stretch of 37.5 miles. Expect a highway-focused experience for most of the journey, transitioning to local streets like Chelmsford Street and Cedar Street as you approach Lowell. The overall feel is one of direct transit rather than scenic exploration, with the emphasis on covering ground efficiently.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.5 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Chelmsford Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Bow Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 54m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Bow Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (MA 16 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (MA 85 / Cedar Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lowell, MA
Full guide →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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.5 miles on I 495. 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: near the start (North Bow Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (MA 16 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (MA 85 / Cedar Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (6 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 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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