Origin
Portland, CT
Late night in Portland on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portland, CT to Waterbury, CT
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
36m
Distance
25.2 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portland, CT
MART PRODUCTION
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 25.2-mile drive from Portland, CT, to Waterbury, CT, is a quick trip, likely taking around 36 minutes. Designed as a single-day excursion, it sticks to major arteries like I-691 and I-84, with Meriden Road also playing a role. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $4, making it an economical choice for a short journey within the Northeast region. Its mixed-drive profile means you'll experience both faster highway travel and potentially some local road navigation. This route is ideal for a straightforward commute or a brief inter-city visit without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 691 | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| I 84 | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| Meriden Road | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Meadow Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 691
— 7.8 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portland, CT and Waterbury, CT.
1
Start on CT 17; CT 66
162 ft
·
3 sec
·
CT 17; CT 66
2
Merge onto CT 17; CT 66
262 ft
·
11 sec
·
Marlborough Street
3
Continue on CT 17; CT 66
465 ft
·
24 sec
·
Marlborough Street
Use the left lane.
4
At end of road, turn left onto CT 17; CT 66
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto Grand Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Street
6
At end of road, turn left onto Prospect Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Prospect Street
7
Continue on Liberty Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Liberty Street
8
At end of road, turn left onto CT 3
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Newfield Street
9
Turn right onto CT 66
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on CT 66
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Meriden Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 691
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
I 691
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
13
Merge onto I 84
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 21
Toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Meadow Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Meadow Street
16
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 24.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
CT 3 / Newfield Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 3 / Newfield Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
CT 66 / Washington Street
Turn right onto CT 66 / Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
16 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 8B
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
8
24.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
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 21
Toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.06 one way
$8.11 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $4.46 | $8.93 |
| premium | $4.86 | $4.83 | $9.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.56 | $11.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Waterbury, CT
Late night in Waterbury on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
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
1 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
36m 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 60% highway share on this route, primarily utilizing I-691 for a significant stretch of 7.8 miles. The overall profile is a mixed drive, suggesting you'll transition between high-speed interstate conditions and potentially more varied road types as you approach your destination. While not a purely monotonous interstate journey, the focus is on efficient travel between these Connecticut cities. The road will likely feel like a functional corridor, prioritizing directness over scenic detours.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.8 mi on I 691.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 25.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (CT 3 / Newfield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.1 miles (CT 66 / Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 25.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.8 miles on I 691. 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 Waterbury, CT 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 0.2 miles (CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (CT 3 / Newfield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.1 miles (CT 66 / Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Waterbury, 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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