Best Time to Drive from Fitchburg to Lowell

Right now (7:50 pm EST): about 40 minutes via I-495 North, usually 40 at this time.

Only 54% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Fitchburg to Lowell by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	46	51	47	43	43	42	42	42	47	50	47	43	40	40	42
Tue	41	45	52	59	51	44	42	42	41	42	48	52	51	47	41	40	41
Wed	41	43	52	59	53	48	44	43	42	43	51	54	52	45	40	40	42
Thu	41	43	51	56	50	47	44	43	44	46	57	63	58	49	41	40	41
Fri	40	41	42	43	43	43	46	47	50	57	66	65	58	47	42	40	40
Sat	40	40	39	39	40	40	45	45	47	45	43	42	40	40	40	39	39
Sun	41	39	39	38	39	39	40	42	42	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 33-mile drive from Fitchburg to Lowell (via I-495 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 67 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 25 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (12 to 25 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Fitchburg to central Lowell along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Fitchburg to Lowell?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 67 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Fitchburg to Lowell?

The 33-mile drive usually takes 40 to 67 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fitchburg to Lowell?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 67 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (25 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lowell to Fitchburg (return trip) · Fitchburg to Boston · Fitchburg to South Boston · Fitchburg to Worcester · Fitchburg to Providence

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	46	51	47	43	43	42	42	42	47	50	47	43	40	40	42
Tue	41	45	52	59	51	44	42	42	41	42	48	52	51	47	41	40	41
Wed	41	43	52	59	53	48	44	43	42	43	51	54	52	45	40	40	42
Thu	41	43	51	56	50	47	44	43	44	46	57	63	58	49	41	40	41
Fri	40	41	42	43	43	43	46	47	50	57	66	65	58	47	42	40	40
Sat	40	40	39	39	40	40	45	45	47	45	43	42	40	40	40	39	39
Sun	41	39	39	38	39	39	40	42	42	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	46	51	47	43	43	42	42	42	47	50	47	43	40	40	42
Tue	41	45	52	59	51	44	42	42	41	42	48	52	51	47	41	40	41
Wed	41	43	52	59	53	48	44	43	42	43	51	54	52	45	40	40	42
Thu	41	43	51	56	50	47	44	43	44	46	57	63	58	49	41	40	41
Fri	40	41	42	43	43	43	46	47	50	57	66	65	58	47	42	40	40
Sat	40	40	39	39	40	40	45	45	47	45	43	42	40	40	40	39	39
Sun	41	39	39	38	39	39	40	42	42	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	46	51	47	43	43	42	42	42	47	50	47	43	40	40	42
Tue	41	45	52	59	51	44	42	42	41	42	48	52	51	47	41	40	41
Wed	41	43	52	59	53	48	44	43	42	43	51	54	52	45	40	40	42
Thu	41	43	51	56	50	47	44	43	44	46	57	63	58	49	41	40	41
Fri	40	41	42	43	43	43	46	47	50	57	66	65	58	47	42	40	40
Sat	40	40	39	39	40	40	45	45	47	45	43	42	40	40	40	39	39
Sun	41	39	39	38	39	39	40	42	42	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	42