Origin
Jamaica Plain, MA
Evening in Jamaica Plain on Thursday
Local time
7:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jamaica Plain, MA to Cambridge, MA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
20m
Distance
6 mi
10 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jamaica Plain, MA
Phil Evenden
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Jamaica Plain, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 6 miles and takes about 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jamaicaway, Riverway, Brookline Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 1.5 miles on Jamaicaway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $0.96 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 20m drive with frequent turns across 6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jamaicaway is the longest continuous segment at about 1.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Centre Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Centre Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (MA 2 / Boston University Bridge): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Centre Street
Turn right onto Centre Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward Beacon Street, Kenmore Square
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Beacon Street, Kenmore Square
7
3.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
MA 2 / Boston University Bridge
Turn right onto MA 2 / Boston University Bridge
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
MA 2A / Massachusetts Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto MA 2A / Massachusetts Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Prospect Street
Turn right onto Prospect Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Jamaica Plain, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Kenmore Square and Square.
Kenmore Square
2.9 mi in
|
~8m
Square
3.9 mi in
|
~11m
|
via Brookline Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jamaicaway | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| Riverway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Brookline Street | 0.8 mi | 3m |
| Prospect Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Arborway | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Park Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Boston University Bridge | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Line Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jamaicaway
— 1.5 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jamaica Plain, MA and Cambridge, MA.
1
Start on Orchard Street
313 ft
·
13 sec
·
Orchard Street
2
Turn right onto Centre Street
167 ft
·
7 sec
·
Centre Street
3
Turn right onto Arborway
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Arborway
4
Continue on Jamaicaway
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Jamaicaway
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on Jamaicaway
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Jamaicaway
6
Continue on Riverway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverway
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Toward Beacon Street, Kenmore Square
8
Merge onto Park Drive
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Park Drive
9
Continue on MA 2
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Mountfort Street
10
Turn right onto MA 2
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Carlton Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 20; MA 2
335 ft
·
15 sec
·
Commonwealth Avenue
Use the slight left lane.
12
Turn right onto MA 2
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Boston University Bridge
Use the right lane.
13
Turn slight right onto Brookline Street
0.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Brookline Street
Toward Central Square
14
At end of road, turn left onto MA 2A
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Prospect Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Prospect Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto Hampshire Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Hampshire Street
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on Cambridge Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto Line Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Line Street
19
Turn left onto Leonard Avenue
460 ft
·
19 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Leonard Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$0.96 one way
$1.92 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $1.05 | $2.09 |
| premium | $4.82 | $1.14 | $2.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.32 | $2.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.63 | $0.29 |
| Efficient EV | 1.5 | 0 | $0.52 | $0.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.84 | $0.38 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Cambridge, MA
Evening in Cambridge on Thursday
Local time
7:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
20m 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 Jamaica Plain, MA to Cambridge, MA covers 6 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jamaicaway, Riverway, Brookline Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3 miles from Jamaica Plain, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $0.96 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Centre Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (MA 2 / Boston University Bridge): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Jamaica Plain, MA and Cambridge, MA, road signs point toward Kenmore Square and Square.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Boston National Historical Park, Adams National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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