Origin
Lowell, IN
Afternoon in Lowell on Friday
Local time
2:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lowell, IN to West Lafayette, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
73.5 mi
118 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, IN
Abhishek Navlakha
West Lafayette, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lowell, IN to West Lafayette, IN covers 73.5 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, North River Road, East 181st Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.1 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 73.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 27m drive with frequent turns across 73.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 61.1 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
751 ft
591 ft
Total Climb
167 ft
Total Descent
229 ft
Highest Point
751 ft
~52.5 mi in
Elevation Range
160 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 6.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 27m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 67.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 65 South: Indianapolis
Navigation decision point
Toward I 65 South: Indianapolis
8
67.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward SR 43: Brookston, West Lafayette
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 178
Toward SR 43: Brookston, West Lafayette
6
67.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward West Lafayette, Indiana Veterans Home, Purdue University, VA Clinic, Tippecanoe, Battlefield, Prophetstown State Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward West Lafayette, Indiana Veterans Home, P...
6
73.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
North Salisbury Street
At end of road, turn left onto North Salisbury Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
73.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
North Street
Turn right onto North Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lowell, IN and West Lafayette, IN, road signs point toward Lafayette, Indiana Veterans Home, Purdue University, Va Clinic, Tippecanoe and Battlefield - among others.
Lafayette
67.5 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Indiana Veterans Home
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Purdue University
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Va Clinic
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Tippecanoe
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Battlefield
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Prophetstown State Park
67.9 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway | 61.1 mi | 1h 5m |
| North River Road | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| East 181st Avenue | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| East Commercial Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Quincy Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Salisbury Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Northwestern Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
— 61.1 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, IN and West Lafayette, IN.
1
Start on SR 2
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East Commercial Avenue
2
Continue on SR 2
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
East 181st Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 65 South: Indianapolis
4
Merge onto I 65
61 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 178
Toward SR 43: Brookston, West Lafayette
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
214 ft
·
5 sec
Toward West Lafayette, Indiana Veterans Home, Purdue University, VA Clinic, Tippecanoe, Battlefield, Prophetstown State Park
7
Turn straight onto North River Road
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
North River Road
8
Turn right onto Quincy Street
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Quincy Street
9
At end of road, turn left onto North Salisbury Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Salisbury Street
10
Turn right onto North Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Street
11
Turn right onto Northwestern Avenue
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
Northwestern Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
Northwestern Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.8 mi from Lowell, IN · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.8 miles from Lowell, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.1 miles.
Arriving in West Lafayette, IN
The final approach into West Lafayette, IN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.49 one way
$22.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.62 | $25.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.14 | $28.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.23 | $32.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.72 | $3.53 |
| Efficient EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.43 | $2.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.4 | 0 | $10.29 | $4.70 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
West Lafayette, IN
Afternoon in West Lafayette on Friday
Local time
3:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Rensselaer, IN
37 mi in
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
17 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
1h 27m 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 Lowell, IN to West Lafayette, IN covers 73.5 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, North River Road, East 181st Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.8 miles from Lowell, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.49 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 straightforward 1h 27m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 67.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Lowell, IN and West Lafayette, IN, road signs point toward Lafayette, Indiana Veterans Home, Purdue University, Va Clinic, Tippecanoe and Battlefield - among others.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 591 ft to 751 ft elevation with about 167 ft of total climbing.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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