Origin
Wellesley, MA
Late night in Wellesley on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wellesley, 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
56m
Distance
38.6 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wellesley, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lawrence, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Wellesley to Lawrence, you are looking at a 42.4-mile journey across the Northeast. Expect to spend about 49 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Since the route avoids highways entirely, you can budget roughly $7 for fuel costs to cover the distance. Navigating through local roads means you won't need to worry about overnight logistics, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule. This drive is a straightforward local connection between two Massachusetts communities, ideal for those who prefer surface streets over high-speed transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Yankee Division Highway | 11.5 mi | 15m |
| I 495 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| US 3 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Washington Street | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Walnut Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| South Union Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Parker Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Yankee Division Highway
— 11.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wellesley, MA and Lawrence, MA.
1
Start on this road
209 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Cameron Street
110 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cameron Street
3
Turn right onto MA 16; MA 135
2.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Washington Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn right onto Walnut Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Walnut Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto MA 16
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Washington Street
Use the right lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 95 North: Portsmouth
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
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.
9
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.
10
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
11
Continue on US 3
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
US 3
12
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.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 81A
Toward I 495 North: Lawrence
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 495
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 99B
Toward MA 28 North: Lawrence
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto MA 28
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Union Street
17
Keep slight right at fork onto South Union Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Union Street
18
Turn left onto MA 114
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Winthrop Avenue
19
Continue on MA 114
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Parker Street
20
Continue on Amesbury Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Amesbury Street
21
Turn right onto Canal Street
282 ft
·
6 sec
·
Canal Street
22
Turn left onto Lawrence Street
492 ft
·
18 sec
·
Lawrence Street
23
Turn left onto Essex Street
498 ft
·
11 sec
·
Essex Street
24
Arrive at destination
Essex Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.3 miles from Wellesley, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 15 and 36.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
15 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
15.1 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
25.3 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
25.9 mi into trip
|
~38m 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
36.1 mi into trip
|
~50m 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
$6.18 one way
$12.36 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $6.74 | $13.47 |
| premium | $4.82 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.52 | $17.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Lexington, MA
19 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
56m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged from start to finish. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, relying instead on local arteries like Cameron Street, Washington Street, and Walnut Street to reach your destination. Because this route lacks any long, uninterrupted highway stretches, you should anticipate constant maneuvering through town infrastructure. The experience is defined by its stop-and-go nature rather than high-speed cruising. You will find that the road’s personality is strictly urban and suburban, requiring your full attention as you transition between these specific local thoroughfares.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.5 mi on Yankee Division Highway.
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 15 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 18 decision points packed into just 38.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.3 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 Wellesley, MA and Lawrence, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire and Chelmsford.
Middlesex Turnpike
15 mi in
|
~25m
Burlington
15 mi in
|
~25m
Nashua New Hampshire
15 mi in
|
~25m
Chelmsford
25.3 mi in
|
~37m
|
via Lowell Connector
About the Cities
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 56m. Total distance: 38.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). 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 11.5 miles on Yankee Division Highway. 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 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.3 miles (Lowell Connector): 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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