Origin
Waltham, MA
Late night in Waltham on Sunday
Local time
3:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waltham, MA to Lawrence, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
32.4 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waltham, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lawrence, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 34-mile drive from Waltham, MA to Lawrence, MA is a straightforward, one-day trip, taking about 41 minutes to complete. With no highway driving and a fuel cost estimated at $5, it’s an economical option for a short excursion. The route primarily uses local roads like Church Street, Lexington Street, and Totten Pond Road, suggesting a more engaged driving experience. Given its short distance and duration, this trip is best suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility and minimal planning. Both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region, so you'll remain in familiar territory throughout this journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| US 3 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 6 mi | 8m |
| Totten Pond Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Lexington Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South Union Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Parker Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 9.4 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waltham, MA and Lawrence, MA.
1
Start on US 20
184 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto Church Street
431 ft
·
13 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left
394 ft
·
16 sec
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Lexington Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Lexington Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto Totten Pond Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Totten Pond Road
6
Turn right onto Wyman Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Wyman Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
8
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
9
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.
10
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.
11
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
12
Continue on US 3
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
US 3
13
Keep slight right at fork onto Lowell Connector
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Lowell Connector
Exit 80-81A
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Chelmsford, Lawrence
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 81A
Toward I 495 North: Lawrence
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 495
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 99B
Toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn straight onto MA 28
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Union Street
18
Keep slight right at fork onto South Union Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Union Street
19
Turn left onto MA 114
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Winthrop Avenue
20
Continue on MA 114
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Parker Street
21
Continue on Amesbury Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Amesbury Street
22
Turn right onto Canal Street
282 ft
·
6 sec
·
Canal Street
23
Turn left onto Lawrence Street
492 ft
·
18 sec
·
Lawrence Street
24
Turn left onto Essex Street
498 ft
·
11 sec
·
Essex Street
25
Arrive at destination
Essex Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Waltham, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 8.7 and 29.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
8.7 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
8.9 mi into trip
|
~14m 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
9
19 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Lowell Connector
Keep slight right at fork onto Lowell Connector toward I 495 North: Lowell, Chelmsford, Lawrence
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 80-81A
Toward I 495 North: Lowell, Chelmsford, Lawrenc...
7
19.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 495 North: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 81A
Toward I 495 North: Lawrence
7
29.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 99B
Toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.19 one way
$10.37 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.65 | $11.31 |
| premium | $4.82 | $6.15 | $12.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.15 | $14.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lawrence, MA
Late night in Lawrence on Sunday
Local time
3:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Lexington, MA
16 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
7 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
45m 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 entire 34-mile stretch, as the highway share is 0%. This means you'll be navigating through neighborhoods and town centers for the duration of your trip. While there's no specific longest uninterrupted stretch mentioned, the nature of a 'turn-heavy local drive' implies frequent intersections and changes in speed. You'll likely experience a consistent pace without the high speeds of highway travel, offering a more intimate connection with the local landscape as you make your way from Waltham to Lawrence.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.4 mi on I 495.
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 8.7 miles in.
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 19 decision points packed into just 32.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19 miles (Lowell Connector): 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 Waltham, MA and Lawrence, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire and Chelmsford.
Middlesex Turnpike
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Burlington
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Nashua New Hampshire
8.7 mi in
|
~13m
Chelmsford
19 mi in
|
~26m
|
via Lowell Connector
About the Cities
Starting in Waltham, MA
Full guide →Waltham is a city in the American state of Massachusetts. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of central Boston on the Charles River, and 3 miles from the city limits to the east. Waltham is part of the Greater Boston conurbation; even so, it has a unique character compared to Boston's other suburbs, and is one of the most significant regional centers for employment, culture, education and food in the entire metro area. It is sometimes called "Watch City" because it was home to Waltham Watch Company. Many high-tech companies have made Waltham their home. It is also home to Bentley College and Brandeis University.
Arriving in Lawrence, MA
Full guide →Lawrence is a city in Massachusetts with a population of about 89,000 (2020). Methuen is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 53,000 (2020).
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 45m. Total distance: 32.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.4 miles on I 495. 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 Lawrence, 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 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19 miles (Lowell Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lawrence, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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