Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
39.3 mi
63 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smithfield, RI
Connor Scott McManus
Narragansett Pier, RI
Mohan Nannapaneni
Smithfield, RI to Narragansett Pier, RI is 39.3 miles and takes about 53m via I 295 and RI 4, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Rhode Island, moving from the northern part of the state down towards the coast. It's a straightforward drive that's easy to complete in a single day, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a day trip to the shore. You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface roads, so expect a varied driving experience as you head south.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 295 | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| RI 4 | 9.9 mi | 12m |
| Boston Neck Road | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Tower Hill Road | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| I 95 | 3 mi | 4m |
| Pleasant View Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Farnum Pike | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Bridgetown Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,209 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~276 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 44 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Smithfield, RI and Narragansett Pier, RI.
Start on Brayton Road
Turn left onto RI 5; RI 104
Turn right onto RI 5; RI 116
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 5
Continue on RI 5
Continue on RI 5
Take the ramp onto I 295
Merge onto I 295
Merge onto I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 4
Continue on US 1
Turn left onto Bridgetown Road
Turn right onto RI 1A
Continue on RI 1A
Turn left onto Exchange Street
Turn left onto Ocean Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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.
A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Smithfield, RI, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 33 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 295
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 4 toward RI 4 South: North Kingstown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Bridgetown Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.95 one way
$13.89 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $7.61 | $15.22 |
| premium | $5.29 | $8.18 | $16.37 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $8.28 | $16.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Smithfield on Wednesday
Local time
4:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Narragansett Pier on Wednesday
Local time
4:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is about 60% highway, with your longest continuous stretch on I 295 covering 10.8 miles. You'll transition from the interstate to surface roads like RI 4 and then Boston Neck Road as you get closer to Narragansett Pier. Expect to encounter more traffic signals and intersections once you leave the main interstate. The shift from faster highway speeds to more controlled surface street driving is noticeable.
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 3.2 miles in near RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 39.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles (RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
232 ft
Total Descent
482 ft
Highest Point
294 ft
~8.4 mi in
Elevation Range
287 ft
Smithfield is a small town in Northern Rhode Island that was founded in the 1600s. The town still has the charm of an old farming village with orchards and farms scattered throughout, but it has been modernized to a mid-size suburban town. The town is a great place to visit especially in the autumn months for its farms and orchards (known for their apple orchards especially). It is also has many unique places and family-owned businesses that make visitors feel like they are home no matter how far they’ve traveled from.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 39.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m 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.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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