Origin
Waterbury, CT
Afternoon in Waterbury on Saturday
Local time
2:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterbury, CT to Moodus, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterbury, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Moodus, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Waterbury, CT to Moodus, CT covers 38.1 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 691, I 84, CT 66 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.1 miles on I 691. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 691 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| I 84 | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| CT 66 | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Portland-Cobalt Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Moodus Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| Middle Haddam Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Moodus Leesville Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 691
— 8.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterbury, CT and Moodus, CT.
1
Start on West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto Meadow Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Meadow Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
4
Merge onto I 84
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 691
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
I 691
7
Continue on CT 66
6.2 mi
·
9 min
·
CT 66
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto CT 3
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Newfield Street
9
Turn right onto Liberty Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Liberty Street
10
Continue on Prospect Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Prospect Street
11
Turn right onto Grand Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Street
12
At end of road, turn left onto CT 66
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
13
Take the exit onto CT 17; CT 66
358 ft
·
8 sec
·
CT 17; CT 66
14
Merge onto CT 17; CT 66
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Marlborough Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on CT 17; CT 66
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Portland-Cobalt Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto CT 151
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Middle Haddam Road
17
Continue on CT 151
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Moodus Road
18
Continue on CT 151
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Leesville Road
19
Turn slight left onto CT 151
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Moodus Leesville Road
20
Turn slight left onto CT 149; CT 151
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Haddam Moodus Road
21
Arrive at destination
CT 149
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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Waterbury, CT, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 25 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 84
Merge onto I 84
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 691 East: Meriden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 691 East: Meriden
5
23.2 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Liberty Street
Turn right onto Liberty Street
Navigation decision point
5
23.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
CT 66 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 66 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
25 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CT 17; CT 66 / Marlborough Street
Merge onto CT 17; CT 66 / Marlborough Street
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.13 one way
$12.27 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.75 | $13.50 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.30 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.41 | $16.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 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 | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
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
Moodus, CT
Afternoon in Moodus on Saturday
Local time
2:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Middletown, CT
19 mi in
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
1 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
59m 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?
38.1 mi in 59m — 57% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 691.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on I 691.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near I 84.
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 38.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles (Liberty Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
565 ft
2 ft
Total Climb
872 ft
Total Descent
943 ft
Highest Point
565 ft
~5.4 mi in
Elevation Range
563 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). 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 8.1 miles on I 691. 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 Moodus, CT 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: at 1 miles (I 84): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles (Liberty Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Weir Farm 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 Moodus, CT 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Moodus, CT
More trips to Moodus, CT
Explore more options from Waterbury, CT or browse trips ending in Moodus, CT.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CT road trips.