Origin
Lowell, MA
Night in Lowell on Thursday
Local time
11:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lowell, MA to Medway, MA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h
Distance
48 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Medway, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lowell, MA to Medway, MA covers 48 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 495, Milford Street, Village Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 39.9 miles on I 495. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 48 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h highway drive covering 48 miles, with most of the trip on I 495 and Milford Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 39.9 miles on I 495.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 495 is the longest continuous segment at about 39.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 495 and Milford Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m 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 mi into trip
|
~3m 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
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 South: Marlboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 495
Merge onto I 495
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
42.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward MA 109: Milford, Medway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 48
Toward MA 109: Milford, Medway
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 495 | 39.9 mi | 46m |
| Milford Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Village Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Lowell Connector | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chelmsford Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Medway Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Barber Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 495
— 39.9 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Medway, MA.
1
Start on Hale Street
486 ft
·
14 sec
·
Hale Street
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
16 sec
·
Cambridge Street
3
Turn left onto MA 110
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Chelmsford Street
4
Turn left onto Plain Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Plain Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
6
Merge onto Lowell Connector
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Connector
7
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.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2A
Toward I 495 South: Worcester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 495 South: Marlboro
10
Merge onto I 495
40 mi
·
46 min
·
I 495
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 48
Toward MA 109: Milford, Medway
12
Turn left onto MA 109
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Medway Road
13
Continue on MA 109
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Milford Street
14
Continue on Franklin Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Franklin Street
15
Turn left onto Village Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Village Street
16
Turn left onto Barber Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Barber Street
17
Arrive at destination
Barber Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24 mi from Lowell, MA · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24 miles from Lowell, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Medway, MA
The final approach into Medway, MA 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
$7.68 one way
$15.36 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.38 | $16.75 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.11 | $18.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.60 | $21.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.72 | $3.07 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Medway, MA
Night in Medway on Thursday
Local time
11:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°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
9 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
1h 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, MA to Medway, MA covers 48 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 495, Milford Street, Village Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24 miles from Lowell, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.68 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 48 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Lowell, MA to Medway, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Medway, MA
More trips to Medway, MA
Explore more options from Lowell, MA or browse trips ending in Medway, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.