Origin
Rockland, MA
Late night in Rockland on Sunday
Local time
3:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockland, MA to Cambridge, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
25.5 mi
41 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockland, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 25.5-mile drive from Rockland, MA, to Cambridge, MA, is a manageable one-day trip, taking about 41 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be on MA 3 and the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, with about 45% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop is around $4, making it an economical option for a quick excursion. This route offers a mixed driving experience, suitable for a single day of travel without needing an overnight stay. Both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region, keeping the travel geographically consistent.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MA 3 | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Pilgrims Highway | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| John F. Fitzgerald Expressway | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Cambridge Street | 1.4 mi | 4m |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Union Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Hingham Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Charles River Dam Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
MA 3
— 8.9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockland, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on Reed Street
99 ft
·
9 sec
·
Reed Street
2
Turn left onto Union Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Street
3
Turn slight right onto Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Veterans of Foreign Wars Drive
4
Continue on Weymouth Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Weymouth Street
5
Turn right onto Reservoir Park Drive
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Reservoir Park Drive
6
At end of road, turn left onto Hingham Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hingham Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward MA 3 North: Braintree, Boston
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto MA 3
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Pilgrims Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on MA 3
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
MA 3
Exit 43B
Toward I 93 North: Boston
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto MA 3
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
MA 3
Exit 18
Toward Storrow Drive
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
13
Keep slight left at fork
213 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on MA 28
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles River Dam Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on MA 28
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Monsignor O'Brien Highway
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway, Somerville
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Cambridge Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
18
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 23.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Hingham Street
At end of road, turn left onto Hingham Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward MA 3 North: Braintree, Boston
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward MA 3 North: Braintree, Boston
6
23.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 28 North: Leverett Circle, North Stat...
8
23.3 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MA 28 North: O'Brien Highway
6
23.8 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn left onto Cambridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.08 one way
$8.16 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.45 | $8.90 |
| premium | $4.82 | $4.84 | $9.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.63 | $11.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 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 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
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
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
3:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
23 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
41m 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 mixed drive on this route, with 45% of your travel occurring on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.9 miles on MA 3. As you progress, the drive transitions between faster highway segments and potentially more local road experiences. This blend means you'll experience varying speeds and road conditions, moving from the efficiency of the expressway to potentially navigating more varied traffic patterns. The overall feel is one of dynamic change rather than a monotonous journey.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on MA 3.
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 2.6 miles in near Hingham 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 13 decision points packed into just 25.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (Hingham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Rockland, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Boston, Station and Somerville.
Boston
3.5 mi in
|
~6m
Station
23.1 mi in
|
~33m
Somerville
23.6 mi in
|
~35m
|
via MA 28
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 25.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). 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 8.9 miles on MA 3. 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 Cambridge, 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 2.6 miles (Hingham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Adams National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (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 Cambridge, 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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