Origin
Wayland, MA
Morning in Wayland on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wayland, MA to City of Lowell, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
27.2 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wayland, MA
Wikimedia Commons
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
Wayland, MA to City of Lowell, MA is 27.2 miles and takes about 38m via US 3, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive contained entirely within Massachusetts, making it an easy one-day trip. You'll navigate a mix of highway and local roads, so expect a varied driving experience. It's a short enough distance that you can depart at your leisure and still arrive with plenty of time to spare. Consider this route for a quick, uncomplicated journey between two points in the Northeast.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 3 | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Boston Post Road | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Chelmsford Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Weston Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Westford Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grand Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Middlesex Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 3
— 9.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wayland, MA and City of Lowell, MA.
1
Start on this road
116 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 20
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Boston Post Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 20
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Weston Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth New Hampshire
5
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
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.
7
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.
8
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
9
Continue on US 3
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
US 3
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
14
Turn right onto MA 110
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Chelmsford Street
15
Turn sharp left onto MA 3A
458 ft
·
10 sec
·
Westford Street
16
Turn right onto Grand Street
448 ft
·
23 sec
·
Grand Street
17
At end of road, turn left onto Middlesex Street
383 ft
·
18 sec
·
Middlesex Street
18
Turn sharp right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
5 sec
·
Arch Street
19
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 20 / Boston Post Road
Turn right onto US 20 / Boston Post Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
13.4 mi into trip
|
~19m 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
13.6 mi into trip
|
~20m 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
8
24.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
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 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlbor...
8
24.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.35 one way
$8.71 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $4.75 | $9.49 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.16 | $10.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.01 | $12.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
City of Lowell, MA
Morning in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
23 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
38m 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 drive offers a mixed profile, with about 36% of the journey on highways. You'll experience some faster-paced travel on roads like US 3 and the Yankee Division Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.9 miles on US 3, allowing for a period of consistent speed. As you transition between highway segments and roads like Boston Post Road, the character of the drive will change, requiring you to adjust your driving style. Expect a blend of efficient cruising and more typical local road conditions.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.9 mi on US 3.
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 early in the drive near US 20 / Boston Post Road.
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 16 decision points packed into just 27.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 20 / Boston Post Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.6 miles: 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 Wayland, MA and City of Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire, Marlboro and Chelmsford.
Middlesex Turnpike
13.4 mi in
|
~19m
Burlington
13.4 mi in
|
~19m
Nashua New Hampshire
13.4 mi in
|
~19m
Marlboro
24.2 mi in
|
~32m
Chelmsford
24.6 mi in
|
~33m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 27.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.9 miles on US 3. 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 City of Lowell, 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: near the start (US 20 / Boston Post Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Boston 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 City of Lowell, 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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