Origin
Sterling, MA
Late night in Sterling on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sterling, 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
1h 6m
Distance
42.7 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sterling, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sterling, MA to Cambridge, MA is 42.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Concord Turnpike and I 190, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Massachusetts, taking you from the Northeast region's interior towards the more urbanized coastal area. Expect a fairly direct trip that utilizes major roadways for most of its length. It's a straightforward journey, ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get between these two points without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Concord Turnpike | 18.6 mi | 25m |
| Captain Isaac Davis Highway | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| I 190 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2 | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Concord Highway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Leominster Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Beacon Street | 1 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Concord Turnpike
— 18.6 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sterling, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on Meetinghouse Hill Road
288 ft
·
10 sec
·
Meetinghouse Hill Road
2
Turn right onto Park Street
253 ft
·
11 sec
·
Park Street
3
Turn slight left onto MA 12; MA 62
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn slight left onto MA 12
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Leominster Road
5
Enter roundabout onto MA 12
122 ft
·
1 sec
·
Leominster Road
6
Continue on MA 12
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Leominster Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
8
Merge onto I 190
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 190
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 19B
Toward MA 2 East: Boston
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward MA 2 East: Boston
11
Merge onto Leominster Connector
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Leominster Connector
12
Merge onto MA 2
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Concord Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on MA 2
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on MA 2; MA 111
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Turnpike
15
Enter roundabout onto MA 2; MA 2A
328 ft
·
4 sec
·
Elm Street
16
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Elm Street
17
Continue on MA 2; MA 2A
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Concord Turnpike
18
Continue on MA 2
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2
19
Continue on MA 2
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Concord Highway
20
Continue on MA 2
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Concord Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
473 ft
·
13 sec
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
Use the straight / left lanes.
22
Merge onto US 3; MA 16
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Alewife Brook Parkway
Toward US 3 North, MA 16 East: Arlington, Medford
23
Turn right onto MA 2A
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
Toward MA 2A East: Cambridge
Use the straight lane.
24
Turn left onto Somerville Avenue
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Somerville Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
25
Turn right onto Beacon Street
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Beacon Street
Use the right lane.
26
Turn right onto Cooney Street
295 ft
·
12 sec
·
Cooney Street
27
At end of road, turn right onto Line Street
294 ft
·
19 sec
·
Line Street
28
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
29
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Sterling, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 42.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Park Street
Turn right onto Park Street
Navigation decision point
5
6.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward MA 2 East: Boston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 19B
Toward MA 2 East: Boston
7
39.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward MA 16 East, US 3 North: Medford, Woburn
6
40.1 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
MA 2A / Massachusetts Avenue
Turn right onto MA 2A / Massachusetts Avenue toward MA 2A East: Cambridge
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward MA 2A East: Cambridge
6
42.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
Line Street
At end of road, turn right onto Line Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.67 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.45 | $14.90 |
| premium | $4.82 | $8.11 | $16.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.43 | $18.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.59
Concord Turnpike
(14.9 mi)
$1.04
Concord Turnpike
(3.7 mi)
$0.26
Cambridge Turnpike Rte 2
(3.5 mi)
$0.25
Union Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 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 | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
12:15 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
7 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 6m 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?
This route is primarily highway-focused, with 64% of it on major roads like I 190 and Concord Turnpike. You'll encounter stretches of faster driving, including an uninterrupted segment of 18.6 miles along Concord Turnpike. While not entirely a high-speed interstate experience, the character leans towards efficient travel on well-maintained highways rather than winding country lanes. The shift will likely be from more open highway driving to potentially busier conditions as you approach the Cambridge area.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.6 mi on Concord Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Concord Turnpike and Captain Isaac Davis Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Park Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.1 miles (Park Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 39.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Sterling, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Woburn and Medford.
Woburn
39.7 mi in
|
~57m
Medford
39.8 mi in
|
~57m
|
via US 3; MA 16
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 42.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.6 miles on Concord Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.59 in tolls one way, starting with Concord Turnpike. 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.
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 0.1 miles (Park Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 39.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston National Historical Park and Adams 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 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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