Origin
Newton, MA
Late night in Newton on Sunday
Local time
12:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Newton, MA to Ashburnham, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
50.3 mi
81 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Newton, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Ashburnham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick getaway within Massachusetts, the 50.3-mile trip from Newton to Ashburnham is an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 19 minutes behind the wheel as you head northwest through the Northeast region. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $8, this drive is as affordable as it is straightforward. You will primarily navigate via Captain Isaac Davis Highway, Concord Turnpike, and Massachusetts Avenue. Because of the relatively short duration, there is no need to worry about overnight lodging, allowing you to easily complete the journey and return home within the same day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Isaac Davis Highway | 11.2 mi | 15m |
| Concord Turnpike | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Cambridge Turnpike | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Commonwealth Avenue | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Ashburnham State Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Fitchburg Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
— 11.2 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Newton, MA and Ashburnham, MA.
1
Start on Homer Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Homer Street
2
Turn left onto MA 30
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Commonwealth Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on MA 30
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Commonwealth Avenue
4
Take the ramp
358 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
5
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
this road
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth New Hampshire
6
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 45B
Toward MA 2 West: Fitchburg
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto MA 2
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
Concord Highway
9
Continue on MA 2
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Cambridge Turnpike
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Concord Turnpike
11
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Elm Street
12
Enter roundabout onto MA 2; MA 111
407 ft
·
5 sec
·
Union Turnpike
13
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
Union Turnpike
14
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
6.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Continue on MA 2
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
George W Stanton Highway
16
Continue on MA 2
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
17
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 2
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Concord Turnpike
18
Turn right onto Abbott Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Abbott Avenue
19
At end of road, turn left onto MA 12
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Water Street
20
Turn left onto MA 2A; MA 12
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Laurel Street
21
Turn slight right onto MA 2A; MA 12
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimball Street
22
Enter roundabout onto MA 2A; MA 12; MA 31
71 ft
·
3 sec
·
River Street
23
Continue on MA 2A; MA 12; MA 31
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
24
Turn right onto Mayland Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Mayland Street
25
Continue on Fairview Street
508 ft
·
28 sec
·
Fairview Street
26
Turn left onto Westminster Hill Road
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Westminster Hill Road
27
Turn right onto MA 12
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Ashburnham Street
28
Continue on MA 12
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Ashburnham State Road
29
Continue on MA 12
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Fitchburg Road
30
Continue on MA 12
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Main Street North
31
Turn right onto MA 101
136 ft
·
2 sec
·
Water Street
32
Arrive at destination
MA 101
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.2 miles from Newton, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 17.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 30 / Commonwealth Avenue
Turn left onto MA 30 / Commonwealth Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge onto I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
9.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MA 2 West: Fitchburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 45B
Toward MA 2 West: Fitchburg
5
17.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
MA 2; MA 111 / Union Turnpike
Enter roundabout onto MA 2; MA 111 / Union Turnpike
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.05 one way
$16.10 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.55 | $19.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.11 | $22.21 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.80
Concord Turnpike
(3.9 mi)
$0.27
Concord Turnpike
(3.8 mi)
$0.26
Cambridge Turnpike
(3.3 mi)
$0.23
Union Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 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 | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.04 | $3.22 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Ashburnham, MA
Late night in Ashburnham on Sunday
Local time
12:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Stow, MA
25 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
25 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 19m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. With only 23% of the journey spent on highways, you will spend the majority of your time navigating local roads that require your full attention. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 11.2-mile segment along the Captain Isaac Davis Highway. As you progress from the more densely populated areas near Newton toward the quieter landscapes of Ashburnham, the road’s personality shifts from quick-paced thoroughfares to more technical local stretches. It is a hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the changing character of the Massachusetts landscape.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.2 mi on Captain Isaac Davis Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MA 30 / Commonwealth Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.3 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.1 miles (MA 30 / Commonwealth Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles (I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,018 ft
70 ft
Total Climb
1,377 ft
Total Descent
454 ft
Highest Point
1,018 ft
~50.3 mi in
Elevation Range
948 ft
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 Newton, MA to Ashburnham, MA, road signs begin pointing toward New Hampshire along the way.
New Hampshire
3.2 mi in
|
~5m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 50.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.2 miles on Captain Isaac Davis Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.80 in tolls one way, starting with Concord 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.
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 Ashburnham, 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 0.1 miles (MA 30 / Commonwealth Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles (I 95; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ashburnham, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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