Origin
Windsor Locks, CT
Late night in Windsor Locks on Friday
Local time
3:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Windsor Locks, CT to Bristol, CT
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
42m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Windsor Locks, CT
David Kanigan
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Windsor Locks, CT to Bristol, CT covers 31.3 miles and takes about 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 84, I 91, CT 72 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.7 miles on I 84. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 42m highway drive covering 31.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 84 and I 91. The longest continuous stretch is about 12.7 miles on I 84.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 84 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 84 and I 91. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles (CT 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
11.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 84 West: Trumbull Street, Waterbury
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 32A-32B
Toward I 84 West: Trumbull Street, Waterbury
8
12 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 32A
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
7
25 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
CT 72
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 72
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 33
6
30.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
CT 72 / School Street
Turn right onto CT 72 / School Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
31.3 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
CT 69 / West Street
Turn left onto CT 69 / West Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 Windsor Locks, CT to Bristol, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Waterbury along the way.
Waterbury
11.7 mi in
|
~15m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 12.7 mi | 16m |
| I 91 | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| CT 72 | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Riverside Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| School Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bridge Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 12.7 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Windsor Locks, CT and Bristol, CT.
1
Start on CT 140
34 ft
·
8 sec
·
Bridge Street
2
Turn left onto CT 140; CT 159
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
4
Merge onto I 91
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 91
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 32A-32B
Toward I 84 West: Trumbull Street, Waterbury
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 32A
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 84; US 6
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 84; US 6
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CT 72
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
CT 72
Exit 33
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit onto CT 72
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the straight / slight right / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto CT 69
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Street
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
CT 69
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.04 one way
$10.08 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.99 | $11.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Bristol, CT
Late night in Bristol on Friday
Local time
3:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°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
8 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
42m 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 Windsor Locks, CT to Bristol, CT covers 31.3 miles and takes about 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 84, I 91, CT 72. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.6 miles from Windsor Locks, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.04 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
The main spots that need attention: at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles (CT 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Windsor Locks, CT to Bristol, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Waterbury along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include New England National Scenic Trail.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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