Origin
Waterbury, CT
Morning in Waterbury on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterbury, CT to Southport, 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
47m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Southport, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
Waterbury, CT to Southport, CT is 36.5 miles and takes about 47 minutes via CT 8 and I-95, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused journey primarily within Connecticut, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical choice for a quick transit between these two locations. Consider this an efficient way to get from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 8 | 29.6 mi | 36m |
| I 95 | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Riverside Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Bronson Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Pequot Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| River Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Mill Hill Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 8
— 29.6 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterbury, CT and Southport, CT.
1
Start on West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto Riverside Street
113 ft
·
1 sec
·
Riverside Street
3
Continue on Riverside Street
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Riverside Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward CT 8 South: Bridgeport
5
Merge onto CT 8
30 mi
·
36 min
·
CT 8
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 95 South: New York City
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 95
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 20
Toward Bronson Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
160 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Bronson Road, Fairfield, Southport
10
Turn left onto Bronson Road
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Bronson Road
11
Turn left onto Mill Hill Road
268 ft
·
8 sec
·
Mill Hill Road
12
Turn right onto River Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
River Street
13
Turn straight onto Pequot Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Pequot Avenue
14
Turn slight left onto Main Street
87 ft
·
3 sec
·
Main Street
15
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Waterbury, CT, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 35.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Riverside Street
Turn left onto Riverside Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CT 8
Merge onto CT 8
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
30.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 South: New York City
7
35.7 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward Bronson Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 20
Toward Bronson Road
7
35.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Bronson Road, Fairfield, Southport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Bronson Road, Fairfield, Southport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.88 one way
$11.75 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.47 | $12.93 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.99 | $13.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Southport, CT
Morning in Southport on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
13 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
47m 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 predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 95% of the journey taking place on major roads. You'll begin on CT 8, which offers the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip at 29.6 miles. Following that, you'll transition to I-95, another significant highway segment. The character of the drive is largely defined by these high-speed corridors, offering a consistent and direct path. Expect a smooth, albeit fast-paced, experience as you navigate these well-maintained roadways.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.6 mi on CT 8.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 8 and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Riverside Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Riverside Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (CT 8): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Waterbury, CT
Full guide →Waterbury is a small city in Connecticut that calls itself Brass City because its industrial base was built on metal industries, including silver, but particularly brass. It is a pleasant city to visit, with a historic downtown, nearby parks, and culinary attractions like a chocolate factory and artisanal bakeries.
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 47m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.6 miles on CT 8. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Southport, CT 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 0.3 miles (Riverside Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (CT 8): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Southport, 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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