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 CityUse 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 20Toward Bronson RoadUse 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.
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 11
5 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
$5.73 one way
$11.46 round trip
$3.99/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$6.43
$12.86
premium
$4.81
$6.91
$13.83
diesel
$4.80
$6.89
$13.78
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, 2026-07-13.
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.
Forecast as of Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Waterbury, CT
Morning
in Waterbury on Sunday
Local time
11:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Clear
W 5 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 12:40AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 8:04PM EDT until July 15 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY
Destination
Southport, CT
Morning
in Southport on Sunday
Local time
11:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Clear
W 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 12:40AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 8:04PM EDT until July 15 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY
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
5 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
47m on the road
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.
More Details
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 Effort8/10
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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
359 ft12 ft
Total Climb
449 ft
Total Descent
702 ft
Highest Point
359 ft
~2.6 mi in
Elevation Range
347 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Pure All Natural Juice Bar
Cafe
Later in the drive, short detour
37min in
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Bridgeport, CT
Cuisine: juice
Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-20:00; Sa 08:00-19:00; Su 10...
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.
Top landmarks
•Downtown Waterbury Historic District — historic district in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States
•Holy Land USA — theme park in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States
•Hillside Historic District — historic district in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States
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.
