Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
13 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
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.
New Bedford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Freetown, MA
Tappiah Sesay
New Bedford, MA to Freetown, MA is 13 miles and takes about 23 minutes via Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, specifically Massachusetts, making it a very local excursion. Given its brief duration, this drive is ideal for a quick outing or as part of a larger regional exploration. You'll find it’s a straightforward journey with minimal time commitment, perfect for a spontaneous trip or when you just need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| East Chipaway Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Bullock Road | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Purchase Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Braley Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Mount Pleasant Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Pleasant Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Nauset Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between New Bedford, MA and Freetown, MA.
Start on Pleasant Street
Continue on Purchase Street
Continue on Nauset Street
At end of road, turn right onto Hathaway Road
Continue on Mount Pleasant Street
Turn right onto Kings Highway
Take the ramp
Merge onto MA 140
Take the exit
At end of road, turn left onto Braley Road
Continue on Braley Road
Continue on East Chipaway Road
Turn right onto Bullock Road
Continue on Slab Bridge Road
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto Hathaway Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Take the ramp toward MA 140 North: Taunton, Boston
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Braley Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
At end of road, turn left onto Braley Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.08 one way
$4.16 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $2.27 | $4.54 |
| premium | $4.82 | $2.47 | $4.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.87 | $5.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.14 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Morning in New Bedford on Sunday
Local time
6:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Areas Of Fog
Destination
Morning in Freetown on Sunday
Local time
6:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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.
This route is characterized by its frequent turns, offering a local driving experience rather than a sustained highway cruise, as indicated by its 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.2 miles along the Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway. You'll navigate through a series of local roads, including East Chipaway Road and Bullock Road, which means you should be prepared for a more engaging drive with more opportunities to adjust your course. Expect to be actively steering and navigating for the majority of this short trip.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near Hathaway Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 23m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (Hathaway Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from New Bedford, MA to Freetown, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Boston along the way.
Boston
New Bedford is in Massachusetts on the southern coast. New Bedford's excellent harbor made it a natural fishing and whaling center. It was the world's premier whaling port in the 19th century, and, for a time, "the richest city in the world" and "the city that lit the world" because of whale oil production. New Bedford neighbor Acushnet is the birthplace of the Titleist golf ball.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 13 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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