New Bedford to Pepperell is 99.2 miles and takes about 2h 8m via I 495 and Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, connecting two points in the Northeast region. For the most part, you'll be on major highways, making for a straightforward drive. Given the short duration and highway-heavy profile, it's an easy one-day trip, perfect for a quick transfer or a visit to a different part of the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.6 miles from New Bedford, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 495
61.2 mi
1h 10m
Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway
15.8 mi
18m
Amvets Highway
5.4 mi
6m
Boston Road
3.9 mi
6m
River Road
2.7 mi
5m
Great Road
2.4 mi
4m
Main Street
2.2 mi
4m
Purchase Street
1.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 61.2 mi, about 1h 10m
Traffic on I-495
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 156 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,855 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,597
Quietest
2 AM
~198 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Bedford, MA and Pepperell, MA.
1
Start on Pleasant Street
0.3 mi·32 sec·Pleasant Street
2
Continue on Purchase Street
1.8 mi·3 min·Purchase Street
3
Continue on Nauset Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·Nauset Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto Hathaway Road
302 ft·6 sec·Hathaway Road
5
Continue on Mount Pleasant Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Mount Pleasant Street
6
Turn right onto Kings Highway
0.2 mi·38 sec·Kings Highway
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward MA 140 North: Taunton, Boston
8
Merge onto MA 140
16 mi·18 min·Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·54 sec
Exit 20AToward MA 24 North: Boston
10
Merge onto MA 24
5.4 mi·6 min·Amvets Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 22BToward I 495 North: MarlboroUse the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 495
61 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 80Toward MA 119: Groton, Acton
14
Turn right onto MA 119
2.4 mi·4 min·Great Road
15
Continue on MA 119
3.9 mi·6 min·Boston Road
16
Continue on MA 119; MA 225
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
17
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 119
1.6 mi·3 min·Main Street
18
Continue on MA 111; MA 119
0.4 mi·48 sec·South Road
19
Turn right onto MA 111
2.7 mi·5 min·River Road
20
Turn left
78 ft·5 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour drive, leaving in the morning or early afternoon will give you plenty of daylight. Since it's a relatively short trip and you'll be on the highway for most of it, you might not need many stops, but plan for at least one break. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially before heading onto the longer highway stretches, as the estimated cost is around $18. The flexibility of a shorter drive means you can depart when it's most convenient for you.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.6 miles from New Bedford, MA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.2 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 22 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.6 miles or 1h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pepperell, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Bedford, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from New Bedford, MA
This is one driving day of about 99.2 miles and 2h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from New Bedford, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 495 for about 61.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 87.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.3 mi into trip|~4m in|Hathaway Road
At end of road, turn right onto Hathaway Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
3.5 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward MA 140 North: Taunton, Boston
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 140 North: Taunton, Boston
5
3.8 mi into trip|~7m in|MA 140 / Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway
Merge onto MA 140 / Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
25.2 mi into trip|~33m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22B
Toward I 495 North: Marlboro
6
87.2 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward MA 119: Groton, Acton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 80
Toward MA 119: Groton, Acton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.59 one way
$35.19 round trip
$4.51/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.90
$19.13
$38.26
premium
$5.29
$20.66
$41.33
diesel
$5.35
$20.89
$41.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.8
0
$10.42
$4.76
Efficient EV
24.8
0
$8.68
$3.97
EV Truck/SUV
39.7
0
$13.89
$6.35
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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 May 26, 2026
Origin
New Bedford, MA
Evening
in New Bedford on Wednesday
Local time
5:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Sunny
S 2 to 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Pepperell, MA
Evening
in Pepperell on Wednesday
Local time
5:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 8m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
National Historical Park
"The town itself is perhaps the dearest place to live in, in all New England..nowhere in all America will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent, than in New Bedford…all t...
The Blackstone River powered America's entry into the Age of Industry. The success of Samuel Slater's cotton spinning mill in Pawtucket, RI touched off a chain reaction that changed how people worked...
11 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 44.4
Lowell’s water-powered textile mills catapulted the nation – including immigrant families and early female factory workers – into an uncertain new industrial era. Nearly 200 years later, the changes t...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 88.9
At Minute Man National Historical Park the opening battle of the Revolution is brought to life as visitors explore the battlefields and structures associated with April 19, 1775, and witness the Ameri...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 85.5
From the sweet little farm at the foot of Penn’s Hill to the gentleman’s country estate at Peace field, Adams National Historical Park is the story of “heroes, statesmen, philosophers…and learned wome...
20 mi from route
~51 min detour
$15
near mile 34.2
. . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, view historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking, or swimming—all within reach o...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
Free
near mile 27.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 62% of the 99.2 miles on major roads like I 495 and Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway. You'll experience a long stretch of highway cruising for 61.2 miles on I 495. Expect a significant amount of highway driving, punctuated by exits, before transitioning to surface roads for the final leg of your trip.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.2 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near Hathaway Road.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 99.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway 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 3.8 miles (MA 140 / Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
435 ft29 ft
Total Climb
589 ft
Total Descent
405 ft
Highest Point
435 ft
~70.8 mi in
Elevation Range
407 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from New Bedford, MA to Pepperell, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Acton along the way.
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.
Top landmarks
•Effie M. Morrissey — museum ship in Massachusetts
•New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park — national Historical Park of the United States
•Central New Bedford Historic District — historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Groton is a town of about 10,500 people (2010) in Middlesex County, in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts. Groton, like a lot of towns in New England, has a plethora of historic homes and structures to see.
Pepperell is a town in Massachusetts with a population of 12,000 (2020).
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 99.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.2 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Pepperell, MA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 3.8 miles (MA 140 / Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park and Lowell 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 Pepperell, MA before heading back.
