Origin
Riverside, CT
Morning in Riverside on Friday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverside, CT to Waterbury, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
54.8 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverside, CT
David Kanigan
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Riverside, CT to Waterbury, CT covers 54.8 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CT 8, I 95, Riverside Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.6 miles on CT 8. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.82 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 54.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 15m highway drive covering 54.8 miles, with most of the trip on CT 8 and I 95. The longest continuous stretch is about 29.6 miles on CT 8.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CT 8 is the longest continuous segment at about 29.6 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
271 ft
8 ft
Total Climb
441 ft
Total Descent
244 ft
Highest Point
271 ft
~54.8 mi in
Elevation Range
264 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 8 and I 95. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Laddins Rock Road.
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 54.8 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 0.7 miles (Laddins Rock Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.6 miles (Baxter Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 23.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Laddins Rock Road
Enter roundabout onto Laddins Rock Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
1.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Baxter Avenue
Turn right onto Baxter Avenue toward I 95 North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 95 North
8
23.8 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 27A
Toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
8
27.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
CT 8
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 8 toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
8
54 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, Waterbury
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 30B
Toward Downtown, Waterbury
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Riverside, CT to Waterbury, CT, road signs begin pointing toward New Haven along the way.
New Haven
27.7 mi in
|
~40m
|
via CT 8
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CT 8 | 29.6 mi | 36m |
| I 95 | 22 mi | 29m |
| Riverside Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Brown House Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Owenoke Way | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Harding Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Wesskum Wood Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CT 8
— 29.6 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverside, CT and Waterbury, CT.
1
Start on Owenoke Way
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Owenoke Way
2
Turn straight onto Wesskum Wood Road
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Wesskum Wood Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto Sound Beach Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Sound Beach Avenue
4
Continue on Laddins Rock Road
94 ft
·
4 sec
·
Laddins Rock Road
5
Turn right onto Harding Road
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Harding Road
6
Turn left onto Brown House Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Brown House Road
7
Turn slight right onto Selleck Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Selleck Street
8
Turn left onto West Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Avenue
9
Turn right onto Baxter Avenue
107 ft
·
2 sec
·
Baxter Avenue
Toward I 95 North
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 95 North: New Haven
11
Merge onto I 95
22 mi
·
29 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 27A
Toward CT 25, CT 8: Trumbull, Waterbury
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on CT 8; CT 25
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
CT 8; CT 25
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 8
26 mi
·
32 min
·
CT 8
Toward CT 8 North: Waterbury, New Haven
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on CT 8
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
CT 8
Exit 31
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 30B
Toward Downtown, Waterbury
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn straight onto Riverside Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Riverside Street
18
Continue on Riverside Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Riverside Street
19
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.4 mi from Riverside, CT · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Riverside, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waterbury, CT
The final approach into Waterbury, CT 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
$8.82 one way
$17.64 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $9.71 | $19.41 |
| premium | $4.86 | $10.49 | $20.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.10 | $24.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.51 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Waterbury, CT
Morning in Waterbury on Friday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
SW 6 to 16 mph
16% chance
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
27 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 15m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Riverside, CT to Waterbury, CT covers 54.8 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CT 8, I 95, Riverside 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 27.4 miles from Riverside, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.82 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 54.8 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 0.7 miles (Laddins Rock Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.6 miles (Baxter Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 23.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Riverside, CT to Waterbury, CT, road signs begin pointing toward New Haven along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 8 ft to 271 ft elevation with about 441 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Weir Farm National Historical Park.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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