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Trip from Sherborn, MA to Lowell, MA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

35.1 mi

56 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Sherborn, MA, MA

Sherborn, MA

Jacob Sierra

Downtown Lowell, MA, MA

Lowell, MA

Phil Evenden

Trip Overview

This 35.1-mile drive from Sherborn, MA, to Lowell, MA, is estimated to take about 52 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate on US 3 and the Yankee Division Highway, with a good portion on local streets like South Main Street. With a fuel cost estimated at $6, this route is quite budget-friendly for a quick excursion within the Northeast region. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a more local and less highway-focused experience overall. Since it's a short journey with no recommended stops, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits you best.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 3 9.9 mi 11m
Yankee Division Highway 8.2 mi 11m
South Main Street 5.8 mi 10m
Boston Post Road 3.3 mi 5m
Old Connecticut Path 1.7 mi 2m
Chelmsford Street 1.4 mi 2m
North Main Street 1.3 mi 2m
Cochituate Road 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US 3 — 9.9 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sherborn, MA and Lowell, MA.

1

Start on Sawin Street

128 ft · 11 sec · Sawin Street
2

At end of road, turn left onto MA 27

5.8 mi · 10 min · South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Enter roundabout onto MA 27

76 ft · 1 sec · North Main Street
4

Continue on MA 27

1.3 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
5

Continue on MA 27

1.2 mi · 1 min · Cochituate Road
6

Turn right onto Old Connecticut Path

1.7 mi · 2 min · Old Connecticut Path
7

Merge onto US 20

3.3 mi · 5 min · Boston Post Road
8

Continue on US 20

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Weston Street
Use the straight lane.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth New Hampshire
10

Merge onto I 95; MA 128

8.2 mi · 11 min · Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

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.
12

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.
13

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 35 sec · this road
Exit 50A Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
14

Continue on US 3

9.4 mi · 10 min · US 3
15

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3

0.5 mi · 32 sec · US 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

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.
17

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
18

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 81C Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
19

Turn right onto MA 110

1.4 mi · 2 min · Chelmsford Street
20

Turn right onto Cambridge Street

314 ft · 14 sec · Cambridge Street
21

Turn left onto Hale Street

486 ft · 13 sec · Hale Street
22

Arrive at destination

Hale Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Waltham, MA, MA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waltham, MA

18 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

City of Lowell, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lexington, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Sherborn, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | MA 27 / South Main Street

At end of road, turn left onto MA 27 / South Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
21.8 mi into trip | ~35m 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
22 mi into trip | ~35m 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
32.6 mi into trip | ~48m 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
33.3 mi into trip | ~49m 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

$5.62 one way

$11.23 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $6.13 $12.25
premium $4.82 $6.66 $13.33
diesel $5.61 $7.75 $15.50

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.5 0 $3.69 $1.68
Efficient EV 8.8 0 $3.07 $1.40
EV Truck/SUV 14 0 $4.91 $2.25

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Sherborn, MA

Morning in Sherborn on Tuesday

Local time

6:49 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lowell, MA

Morning in Lowell on Tuesday

Local time

6:49 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

52m 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 for this 35.1-mile trip. While 28% of the route involves highway driving, the majority will be on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.9 miles on US 3, offering a brief period of consistent travel before transitioning back to more varied road conditions. This profile suggests a driving experience that requires your attention, with frequent adjustments to speed and direction as you navigate through towns and local thoroughfares. It's not a monotonous interstate cruise, but rather an engaging route through Massachusetts.

Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.9 mi on US 3.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 early in the drive near MA 27 / South Main Street.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 35.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (MA 27 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22 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.

Between Sherborn, MA and Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Marlboro and Chelmsford.

Middlesex Turnpike

21.8 mi in | ~35m

Burlington

21.8 mi in | ~35m

Nashua New Hampshire

21.8 mi in | ~35m

Marlboro

32.6 mi in | ~48m

Chelmsford

33.1 mi in | ~49m

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 52m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m 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 9.9 miles on US 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 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: near the start (MA 27 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22 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 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 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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