Origin
New Milford, CT
Late night in New Milford on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Milford, CT to Fairfield, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Milford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfield, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
Stretching 36.6 miles through the heart of Connecticut, this drive connects New Milford to Fairfield in about one hour and two minutes. It is a straightforward trip that fits perfectly into a single day, requiring no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $6 for fuel makes this an economical excursion for commuters or weekend travelers alike. You will navigate a mix of local and regional roads, moving from the inland Northeast region toward the coast. Given the manageable duration, you can easily complete this journey in one go without the need for mid-way breaks.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Black Rock Turnpike | 13.8 mi | 24m |
| Federal Road | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Danbury Road | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Putnam Park Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Mill Plain Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Payne Road | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| Brookside Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Walnut Hill Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Black Rock Turnpike
— 13.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Milford, CT and Fairfield, CT.
1
Start on US 202
176 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Street
2
Turn right onto US 202; CT 67
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
Bridge Street
3
Turn left onto US 7; US 202
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Danbury Road
4
Continue on US 7; US 202
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Federal Road
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 10
Toward I 84 East: Waterbury
Use the slight left lane.
6
Merge onto I 84; US 6
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
I 84; US 6
7
Take the exit onto US 6
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 6
Exit 8
Toward US 6 East: Newtown Road, Bethel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto Payne Road
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Payne Road
9
Continue on Shelter Rock Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Shelter Rock Road
10
Continue on Walnut Hill Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Walnut Hill Road
11
Turn right onto Plumtrees Road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Plumtrees Road
12
Turn left onto Maple Avenue Extension
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Maple Avenue Extension
13
Turn left onto Judd Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Judd Avenue
14
Continue on CT 58
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Putnam Park Road
15
Turn straight onto CT 58
14 mi
·
24 min
·
Black Rock Turnpike
16
Turn right onto Samp Mortar Drive
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Samp Mortar Drive
17
Continue on Brookside Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Brookside Drive
18
Turn left onto Mill Plain Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Mill Plain Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right onto US 1
186 ft
·
3 sec
·
Post Road
20
Arrive at destination
US 1
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from New Milford, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 34.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 7; US 202 / Danbury Road
Turn left onto US 7; US 202 / Danbury Road
Navigation decision point
7
12.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 84 East: Waterbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 10
Toward I 84 East: Waterbury
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6 East: Newtown Road, Bethel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8
Toward US 6 East: Newtown Road, Bethel
4
13.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Payne Road
Turn right onto Payne Road
Navigation decision point
5
34.1 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
Mill Plain Road
Turn left onto Mill Plain Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.89 one way
$11.78 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.48 | $12.97 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.01 | $14.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.96
Black Rock Turnpike
(13.8 mi)
$0.96
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Fairfield, CT
Late night in Fairfield on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
55°F
Redding, CT
18 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 2m 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 varied experience as you transition through the Northeast landscape, as the route is comprised of 40% highway driving. You will traverse sections of Federal Road, Danbury Road, and Black Rock Turnpike, which serves as the longest uninterrupted segment at 13.8 miles. The profile is a mixed drive, balancing faster highway stretches with more localized traffic patterns. Rather than a monotonous interstate haul, the road shifts in character as you head south, requiring you to stay alert through the changing environments of the connecting corridors.
40% 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: 13.8 mi on Black Rock Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 7; US 202 / Danbury Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.5 miles (US 7; US 202 / Danbury Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Milford, CT to Fairfield, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Bethel along the way.
Bethel
12.8 mi in
|
~16m
|
via US 6
About the Cities
Starting in New Milford, CT
Full guide →New Milford is a historic New England town on the western side of Connecticut. It is the largest town in the state (62 square miles) and is just under 2 hours away from New York City.
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 1h 2m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). 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 13.8 miles on Black Rock Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.96 in tolls one way, starting with Black Rock 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.
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 0.5 miles (US 7; US 202 / Danbury Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Fairfield, 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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