Origin
City of Lowell, MA
Evening in City of Lowell on Sunday
Local time
6:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Lowell, MA to Sterling, MA
Drive Time
46m
Distance
32.9 mi
53 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
The drive from City of Lowell, MA to Sterling, MA covers 32.9 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Captain Isaac Davis Highway, I 495, I 190 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.9 miles on Captain Isaac Davis Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
16.5 miles from City of Lowell, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 22m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from City of Lowell, MA to Sterling, MA covers 32.9 miles and takes about 46m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Captain Isaac Davis Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 10.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.1 miles in near Middlesex Street.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 32.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Middlesex Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Middlesex Street
Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B-A
Toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nash...
8
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
6
25.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
Leominster Connector
Keep slight right at fork onto Leominster Connector toward I 190 South: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 101
Toward I 190 South: Worcester
6
30.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward MA 12: Sterling, Clinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward MA 12: Sterling, Clinton
Towns Along This Route
Between City of Lowell, MA and Sterling, MA, road signs point toward Nashua New Hampshire and Clinton.
Nashua New Hampshire
2.2 mi in
|
~4m
Clinton
30.8 mi in
|
~42m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Isaac Davis Highway | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| I 495 | 10.7 mi | 12m |
| I 190 | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| Leominster Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Leominster Connector | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Grand Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
— 10.9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Lowell, MA and Sterling, MA.
1
Start on this road
0.1 mi
·
40 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Arch Street
15 ft
·
8 sec
·
Arch Street
3
Turn sharp left onto Middlesex Street
383 ft
·
12 sec
·
Middlesex Street
4
Turn right onto Grand Street
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Grand Street
5
Turn right onto MA 110
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Chelmsford Street
6
Turn left onto Plain Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Plain Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
8
Merge onto Lowell Connector
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Connector
Use the none lane.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 2B-A
Toward I 495 South, US 3 North: Worcester, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
12
Merge onto I 495
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 495
Use the none lane.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 78B
Toward MA 2 West: Leominster
14
Merge onto MA 2
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Captain Isaac Davis Highway
15
Keep slight right at fork onto Leominster Connector
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Leominster Connector
Exit 101
Toward I 190 South: Worcester
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
17
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
this road
18
Merge onto I 190
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
I 190
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 6
Toward MA 12: Sterling, Clinton
20
Enter roundabout onto MA 12
225 ft
·
3 sec
·
Leominster Road
21
Continue on MA 12
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Leominster Road
22
Enter roundabout onto MA 12
79 ft
·
1 sec
·
Leominster Road
23
Continue on MA 12
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Leominster Road
24
Turn straight onto MA 12; MA 62
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Main Street
25
Turn sharp right onto Meetinghouse Hill Road
55 ft
·
1 sec
·
Meetinghouse Hill Road
26
Arrive at destination
Meetinghouse Hill Road
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 16.5 miles from City of Lowell, MA, or about 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 32.9 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 16.5 miles or 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sterling, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Lowell, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from City of Lowell, MA
This is one driving day of about 32.9 miles and 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from City of Lowell, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Captain Isaac Davis Highway for about 10.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.5 mi from City of Lowell, MA · 22m into the drive
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 32.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.5 miles from City of Lowell, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Sterling, MA
The final approach into Sterling, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Sterling, MA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.24 one way
$10.47 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
| premium | $4.80 | $6.22 | $12.43 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $7.31 | $14.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Sterling, MA
Evening in Sterling on Sunday
Local time
6:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
46m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from City of Lowell, MA to Sterling, MA covers 32.9 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Captain Isaac Davis Highway, I 495, I 190. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.5 miles from City of Lowell, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.24 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 32.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Middlesex Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between City of Lowell, MA and Sterling, MA, road signs point toward Nashua New Hampshire and Clinton.
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