Origin
Salem, MA
Late night in Salem on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salem, MA to Lawrence, 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
39m
Distance
19.6 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, MA
José Alcalá
Lawrence, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 19.6-mile drive from Salem, MA to Lawrence, MA is easily manageable in about 39 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. You'll primarily navigate local streets like Turnpike Street, South Main Street, and Andover Street. With a projected fuel cost of around $3, this is an economical option for exploring the Northeast region of Massachusetts. The route offers a turn-heavy local driving experience, making it feel more like navigating through towns than a long highway journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Turnpike Street | 5.6 mi | 10m |
| South Main Street | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Andover Street | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Winthrop Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Gardner Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Parker Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Margin Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Turnpike Street
— 5.6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, MA and Lawrence, MA.
1
Start on Gedney Street
204 ft
·
10 sec
·
Gedney Street
2
Turn right onto Holyoke Square
263 ft
·
16 sec
·
Holyoke Square
3
Turn left onto MA 114
219 ft
·
3 sec
·
Norman Street
4
Enter roundabout
14 ft
·
0 sec
5
Continue
88 ft
·
1 sec
6
Turn straight onto MA 114
394 ft
·
11 sec
·
Summer Street
7
Continue on MA 114
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on MA 114
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Margin Street
9
Turn left onto MA 114
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Gardner Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn left onto MA 114
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Pulaski Street
11
Turn right onto MA 114
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Andover Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on MA 114
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on MA 114
5.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Turnpike Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on MA 114
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Winthrop Avenue
15
Continue on MA 114
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Parker Street
16
Continue on Amesbury Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Amesbury Street
17
Turn right onto Canal Street
282 ft
·
6 sec
·
Canal Street
18
Turn left onto Lawrence Street
492 ft
·
18 sec
·
Lawrence Street
19
Turn left onto Essex Street
498 ft
·
11 sec
·
Essex Street
20
Arrive at destination
Essex Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Holyoke Square
Turn right onto Holyoke Square
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MA 114 / Norman Street
Turn left onto MA 114 / Norman Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
MA 114 / Andover Street
Turn right onto MA 114 / Andover Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
19.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Essex Street
Turn left onto Essex Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.14 one way
$6.27 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $3.42 | $6.84 |
| premium | $4.82 | $3.72 | $7.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.39
Turnpike Street
(5.6 mi)
$0.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Lawrence, MA
Late night in Lawrence on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
39m 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with only 28% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.6 miles along Turnpike Street. As you travel, the road will shift between city streets and some highway segments, requiring your attention to navigation and traffic. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a more involved local drive that keeps you engaged with the surroundings.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.6 mi on Turnpike Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Holyoke Square.
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 19.6 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Holyoke Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (MA 114 / Norman Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lawrence, MA
Full guide →Lawrence is a city in Massachusetts with a population of about 89,000 (2020). Methuen is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 53,000 (2020).
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 39m. Total distance: 19.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (28%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.6 miles on Turnpike Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.39 in tolls one way, starting with Turnpike Street. 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: near the start (Holyoke Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (MA 114 / Norman Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Salem Maritime National Historical Park, Lowell National Historical Park and Boston 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 Lawrence, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Lawrence, MA
More trips to Lawrence, MA
Explore more options from Salem, MA or browse trips ending in Lawrence, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.