Origin
Norfolk, MA
Morning in Norfolk on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Norfolk, MA to Lowell, MA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
45.4 mi
73 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Norfolk, MA
Renata Meneses
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Norfolk to Lowell is 45.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Yankee Division Highway and US 3, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that has a fair number of turns, making it more of a local exploration than a high-speed transit. With just over an hour of driving time, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. It’s a straightforward journey that gets you from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Yankee Division Highway | 18.7 mi | 25m |
| US 3 | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| High Street | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| West Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Fisher Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Chelmsford Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Yankee Division Highway
— 18.7 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norfolk, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on MA 115
25 ft
·
0 sec
·
Union Street
2
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
11 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
3
Continue on Main Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
4
Continue on Main Street
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Main Street
5
Continue on West Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
West Street
6
Continue on Norfolk Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Norfolk Street
7
At end of road, turn left onto MA 1A
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
8
Turn left onto Fisher Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Fisher Street
9
Continue on North Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Street
10
At end of road, turn right onto MA 109
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
High Street
Use the right lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 95 North: Peabody, Portsmouth New Hampshire
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
19 mi
·
25 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 50A-B
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
16
Continue on US 3
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
US 3
17
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
21
Turn right onto MA 110
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Chelmsford Street
22
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
23
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
24
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from Norfolk, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 9 and 43.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
MA 109 / High Street
At end of road, turn right onto MA 109 / High Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
32.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
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 50A-B
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike,...
9
32.4 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
8
43 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
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 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlbor...
8
43.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.27 one way
$14.53 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.92 | $15.85 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.62 | $17.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.02 | $20.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Lowell, MA
Morning in Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Areas Of Fog then Mostly Cloudy
E 3 to 8 mph
3% chance
Live forecast
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
6 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 6m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you won't be on a monotonous interstate for the entire trip. The highway share is only 22%, so be prepared for more frequent adjustments to your speed and direction. Your longest uninterrupted stretch is 18.7 miles along the Yankee Division Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. Beyond that, expect a mix of local roads and some highway segments as you navigate towards Lowell.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on Yankee Division Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 9 miles in near MA 109 / High Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.4 miles you will encounter 15 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 9 miles (MA 109 / High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Norfolk, MA and Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Portsmouth New Hampshire, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire and Marlboro.
Portsmouth New Hampshire
13.2 mi in
|
~22m
Middlesex Turnpike
32.2 mi in
|
~48m
Burlington
32.2 mi in
|
~48m
Nashua New Hampshire
32.2 mi in
|
~48m
Marlboro
43 mi in
|
~1h 2m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lowell, MA
Full guide →Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.
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 6m. Total distance: 45.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.7 miles on Yankee Division Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Lowell, 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 9 miles (MA 109 / High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Adams 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 Lowell, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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