Origin
North Smithfield, RI
Afternoon in North Smithfield on Saturday
Local time
1:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Smithfield, RI to Portsmouth, RI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
37.3 mi
60 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 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Smithfield, RI
Brent Singleton
Portsmouth, RI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from North Smithfield, RI to Portsmouth, RI covers 37.3 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Eddie Dowling Highway, East Providence Expressway, Metacom Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.5 miles on Eddie Dowling Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eddie Dowling Highway | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| East Providence Expressway | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Metacom Avenue | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| US 6 | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Old Louisquisset Pike | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Market Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| East Main Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| North Smithfield Expressway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Eddie Dowling Highway
— 7.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Smithfield, RI and Portsmouth, RI.
1
Start on this road
114 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Woonsocket Hill Road
511 ft
·
26 sec
·
Woonsocket Hill Road
3
Turn left onto Follett Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Follett Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto RI 104
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Greenville Road
5
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward RI 146 South: Providence
6
Merge onto RI 146
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Smithfield Expressway
7
Continue on RI 146
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Eddie Dowling Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on RI 146
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Louisquisset Pike
9
Merge onto I 95
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto US 6
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
US 6
Exit 36A
Toward I 195 East, US 6 East: East Providence, Cape Cod
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 195; US 1A; US 6
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
East Providence Expressway
Toward US 6: Pawtucket Avenue, Seekonk MA
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 5
Toward MA 136: Warren Rhode Island, Newport Rhode Island
13
Turn right onto MA 136
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
James Reynolds Road
14
Continue on MA 136
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Market Street
15
Continue on RI 136
195 ft
·
6 sec
·
Market Street
16
Turn straight onto RI 136
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kickemuit Road
17
Continue on RI 136
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Arlington Avenue
18
Turn straight onto RI 136
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Metacom Avenue
19
Continue on RI 136
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Metacom Avenue
20
Turn straight onto RI 114
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Ferry Road
21
Continue on RI 114
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Mount Hope Bridge
22
Keep slight left at fork onto Boyds Lane
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Boyds Lane
23
Turn slight right onto RI 138
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Road
24
Turn right onto Freeborn Street
430 ft
·
20 sec
·
Freeborn Street
25
Turn right
84 ft
·
6 sec
26
Arrive at destination
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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from North Smithfield, RI, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Woonsocket Hill Road
Turn left onto Woonsocket Hill Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
RI 104 / Greenville Road
At end of road, turn left onto RI 104 / Greenville Road
Navigation decision point
8
15.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward I 195 East, US 6 East: East Providence, Cape Cod
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 36A
Toward I 195 East, US 6 East: East Providence,...
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 195; US 1A; US 6 / East Providence Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 195; US 1A; US 6 / East Providence Expressway toward US 6: Pawtucket Avenue, Seekonk MA
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 6: Pawtucket Avenue, Seekonk MA
6
24.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward MA 136: Warren Rhode Island, Newport Rhode Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5
Toward MA 136: Warren Rhode Island, Newport Rho...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.00 one way
$12.01 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.61 | $13.21 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.14 | $14.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.24 | $16.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Portsmouth, RI
Afternoon in Portsmouth on Saturday
Local time
1:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
54m 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?
37.3 mi in 54m — 31% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Eddie Dowling Highway.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.5 mi on Eddie Dowling Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive near Woonsocket Hill Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 37.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Woonsocket Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (RI 104 / Greenville Road): Navigation decision point; at 15.5 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 North Smithfield, RI and Portsmouth, RI, road signs point toward Cape Cod, Seekonk and Newport Rhode Island.
Cape Cod
15.5 mi in
|
~20m
|
via US 6
Seekonk
18.9 mi in
|
~26m
|
via I 195; US 1A; US 6
Newport Rhode Island
24.2 mi in
|
~32m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 37.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). 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 7.5 miles on Eddie Dowling 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 Portsmouth, RI 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: near the start (Woonsocket Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (RI 104 / Greenville Road): Navigation decision point; at 15.5 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Roger Williams National Memorial and Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. 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 Portsmouth, RI before heading back.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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