New Bedford to Shrewsbury is 75.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 37 minutes via I-495, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within Massachusetts, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The route is mostly highway, making it a practical option for a quick transit between these areas. Given its relatively short duration and highway profile, this trip is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.9 miles from New Bedford, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 495
40.5 mi
46m
Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway
15.8 mi
18m
Amvets Highway
5.4 mi
6m
Turnpike Road
4.8 mi
7m
Boston Turnpike
2 mi
2m
Purchase Street
1.8 mi
3m
Grafton Street
1.3 mi
2m
Mount Pleasant Street
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 40.5 mi, about 46m
Traffic on I-495
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 204 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,756 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,495
Quietest
2 AM
~161 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Shrewsbury, 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
41 mi·46 min·I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Exit 59BToward MA 9 West: WorcesterUse the straight / right lanes.
14
Merge onto MA 9
4.8 mi·7 min·Turnpike Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on MA 9
0.8 mi·1 min·Belmont Street
16
Continue on MA 9
2.0 mi·2 min·Boston Turnpike
17
Take the exit
199 ft·5 sec
18
Turn straight onto Grafton Street
1.3 mi·2 min·Grafton Street
19
Turn right
165 ft·12 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 37 minute duration, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the worst of morning rush hour traffic. Since the longest stretch on I-495 is 40.5 miles, plan for a brief stop if you need a break before reaching the highway's end. Your estimated fuel cost is $13, so ensure your tank is adequately full before departing New Bedford to minimize stops.
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 37.9 miles from New Bedford, MA, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.5 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 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.9 miles or 48m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shrewsbury, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from New Bedford, MA
This is one driving day of about 75.8 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 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 40.5 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 66.5 — 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
7
66.5 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward MA 9 West: Worcester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 59B
Toward MA 9 West: Worcester
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.25 one way
$26.49 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.90
$14.63
$29.26
premium
$5.31
$15.85
$31.70
diesel
$6.18
$18.44
$36.88
Estimated Tolls: $0.48
Turnpike Road
(4.8 mi)$0.34
Boston Turnpike
(2 mi)$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.7
0
$7.96
$3.64
Efficient EV
19
0
$6.63
$3.03
EV Truck/SUV
30.3
0
$10.61
$4.85
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Oct 11, 2026
Origin
New Bedford, MA
Evening
in New Bedford on Sunday
Local time
8:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
SE 10 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Shrewsbury, MA
Evening
in Shrewsbury on Sunday
Local time
8:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Chance Rain Showers
SE 3 to 7 mph46% chanceLive forecast
49°F
Mansfield, MA
38 mi in
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
1h 37m 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
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...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 65.3
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
~50 min detour
$15
near mile 39.2
. . . 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
~63 min detour
Free
near mile 28.8
Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all.
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 39.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 62% of this 75.8-mile trip on highways like I-495. The longest continuous stretch on this highway is 40.5 miles. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface roads as you approach your destination. The highway section features a high density of exits, so stay alert for your upcoming turns.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40.5 mi on I 495.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 75.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 2.3 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.
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
•New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park — national Historical Park of the United States
•Central New Bedford Historic District — historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 37m. Total distance: 75.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 37m 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 40.5 miles on I 495. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.48 in tolls one way, starting with Turnpike Road. 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 Shrewsbury, MA 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 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 Minute Man 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 Shrewsbury, MA before heading back.
