Origin
Wallingford, CT
Late night in Wallingford on Tuesday
Local time
5:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wallingford, CT to Waterbury, CT
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
29m
Distance
18.3 mi
29 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 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wallingford, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Wallingford, CT to Waterbury, CT is 18.3 miles and takes about 29 minutes via I 84 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Connecticut, connecting two cities in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and a mix of highway and local street navigation. It's a straightforward journey, ideal for a quick hop between these Connecticut locations without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Waterbury Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Church Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| North Colony Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| West Main Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Yalesville Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Academy Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 4.8 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wallingford, CT and Waterbury, CT.
1
Start on this road
216 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 5
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Colony Road
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
4
At end of road, turn right onto CT 68
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Church Street
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on CT 68
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Yalesville Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto CT 68; CT 70
507 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Meriden Road
7
Continue on CT 68; CT 70
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Academy Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto CT 10; CT 68; CT 70
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Main Street
9
Continue on CT 68; CT 70
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on CT 68; CT 70
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
11
Continue on CT 70
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Waterbury Road
12
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
13
Merge onto I 84
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 21
Toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Meadow Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Meadow Street
16
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 5 / North Colony Road
Turn right onto US 5 / North Colony Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CT 68 / Church Street
At end of road, turn right onto CT 68 / Church Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
12.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Navigation decision point
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
5
12.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 84
Merge onto I 84
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
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 21
Toward Meadow Street, Bank Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.89 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $3.24 | $6.48 |
| premium | $4.86 | $3.50 | $7.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Waterbury, CT
Late night in Waterbury on Tuesday
Local time
5:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
29m 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 features a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with only 26% of the journey on the highway. You'll experience a dynamic shift from local roads like Waterbury Road and Church Street to stretches of I 84. The longest uninterrupted segment is 4.8 miles on I 84, meaning you'll likely encounter frequent intersections and changes in speed limits. Be prepared for an engaging drive that requires attention to navigation as you transition between different types of roadways.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.8 mi on I 84.
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 US 5 / North Colony Road.
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 18.3 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 (US 5 / North Colony Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (CT 68 / Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Wallingford, CT
Full guide →Wallingford is a city in Connecticut.
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 29m. Total distance: 18.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (26%). 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 4.8 miles on I 84. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (US 5 / North Colony Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (CT 68 / Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. 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 Waterbury, CT 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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