Origin
Shirley, MA
Late night in Shirley on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shirley, MA to Lynn, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shirley, MA
Renata Meneses
Lynn, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Shirley, MA to Lynn, MA? This 46.9-mile drive will take you about 1 hour and 10 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on US 3, I-495, and the Yankee Division Highway, with highway driving making up 44% of the journey. Expect a mixed drive profile, so it's not a constant interstate pace. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this is an affordable and straightforward excursion within the Northeast region. Since there are no recommended stops, you can easily complete this in a single day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 3 | 11.1 mi | 14m |
| I 495 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Walnut Street | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| West Water Street | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| West Main Street | 2.6 mi | 6m |
| Littleton Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Ayer Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
US 3
— 11.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shirley, MA and Lynn, MA.
1
Start on Chapel Street
75 ft
·
5 sec
·
Chapel Street
2
Turn right onto Porter Street
314 ft
·
15 sec
·
Porter Street
3
Turn right onto Front Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Front Street
4
Continue on West Main Street
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
West Main Street
5
Continue on MA 2A; MA 111
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Harvard Road
6
Enter roundabout onto MA 2A; MA 110
425 ft
·
7 sec
·
Littleton Road
7
Continue on MA 2A; MA 110
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Littleton Road
8
Continue on MA 2A; MA 110
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Ayer Road
9
Continue on MA 2A; MA 110
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
King Street
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Lawrence
11
Merge onto I 495
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 89A-B-C
Toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Lowell Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 89A
Toward US 3 South: Burlington
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto US 3
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
US 3
15
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 3
Exit 72A
Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
US 3
17
Merge onto I 95; US 3; MA 128
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 56A
Toward MA 28 South: Stoneham
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn straight onto MA 28
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Main Street
20
Turn sharp left onto North Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Street
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on Prospect Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Prospect Street
22
Turn right onto North Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn left onto West Water Street
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West Water Street
24
At end of road, turn right onto MA 129
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Walnut Street
25
Continue on MA 129
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Walnut Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Turn right onto Kirtland Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Kirtland Street
27
Turn left onto Marion Street
363 ft
·
7 sec
·
Marion Street
28
Enter roundabout onto Federal Street
141 ft
·
2 sec
·
Federal Street
29
Continue on Federal Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Federal Street
30
Enter roundabout onto Market Square
264 ft
·
4 sec
·
Market Square
31
Continue on Market Square
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Market Square
32
Continue on South Common Street
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Common Street
33
Continue on City Hall Square
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
City Hall Square
34
Continue on Central Avenue
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Central Avenue
35
Turn left onto Liberty Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Liberty Street
36
Turn left onto Essex Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Essex Street
37
Turn right onto Rogers Avenue
66 ft
·
2 sec
·
Rogers Avenue
38
Arrive at destination
Rogers Avenue
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 23.5 miles from Shirley, 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 235 decision points cluster between mile 18.9 and 37 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Lowell Connector
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 89A-B-C
Toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire,...
8
19.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 3 South: Burlington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 89A
Toward US 3 South: Burlington
9
29.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3 toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 72A
Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
7
36.5 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward MA 28 South: Stoneham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 56A
Toward MA 28 South: Stoneham
8
37 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
North Street
Turn sharp left onto North Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.51 one way
$15.01 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.19 | $16.37 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.91 | $17.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 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 | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
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
Lynn, MA
Late night in Lynn on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Lexington, MA
23 mi in
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
14 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
1h 10m 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?
The drive from Shirley to Lynn offers a varied experience behind the wheel. While 44% of the route involves highway speeds, it's not a monotonous journey. You'll encounter a mixed drive profile, transitioning between different road types. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change is 11.1 miles on US 3, providing a solid period of consistent travel. This blend means you'll experience both faster-paced sections and potentially more varied local road conditions as you progress towards Lynn.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
38 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.1 mi on US 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 18.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 23 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 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.6 miles (US 3): 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 Shirley, MA and Lynn, MA, road signs point toward Lawrence, Nashua New Hampshire and Peabody.
Lawrence
9.1 mi in
|
~16m
Nashua New Hampshire
18.9 mi in
|
~28m
Peabody
29.6 mi in
|
~41m
|
via US 3
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). 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 11.1 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 Lynn, 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 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.6 miles (US 3): 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 Salem Maritime 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 Lynn, 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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