Best Time to Drive from Lowell to Fitchburg

Right now (7:50 pm EST): about 37 minutes via I-495 South, usually 38 at this time.

Only 44% 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 Lowell to Fitchburg 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	37	38	39	42	42	39	39	39	39	41	45	50	47	42	38	38	39
Tue	37	38	41	47	45	40	41	39	39	39	45	51	53	47	38	38	39
Wed	37	38	41	46	46	41	40	39	41	41	47	54	52	47	38	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	45	44	40	39	40	41	44	54	60	55	50	40	38	39
Fri	37	37	38	39	39	39	40	41	44	51	63	66	55	44	39	38	38
Sat	38	37	36	37	37	37	40	44	43	41	40	39	38	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	36	36	37	37	39	43	41	42	41	38	38	37	37	38	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from Lowell to Fitchburg (via I-495 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 24 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (12 to 23 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lowell to central Fitchburg 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 Lowell to Fitchburg?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 32-mile drive usually takes 37 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lowell to Fitchburg?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 South in Boston (24 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

Fitchburg to Lowell (return trip) · Lowell to Boston · Lowell to Cambridge · Lowell to Quincy · Lowell to Newton · Lowell to Waltham · Lowell to Framingham · Lowell to Worcester · Lowell to Burlington MA · Lowell to Woburn · Lowell to Braintree · Lowell to Dedham

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	39	42	42	39	39	39	39	41	45	50	47	42	38	38	39
Tue	37	38	41	47	45	40	41	39	39	39	45	51	53	47	38	38	39
Wed	37	38	41	46	46	41	40	39	41	41	47	54	52	47	38	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	45	44	40	39	40	41	44	54	60	55	50	40	38	39
Fri	37	37	38	39	39	39	40	41	44	51	63	66	55	44	39	38	38
Sat	38	37	36	37	37	37	40	44	43	41	40	39	38	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	36	36	37	37	39	43	41	42	41	38	38	37	37	38	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	39	42	42	39	39	39	39	41	45	50	47	42	38	38	39
Tue	37	38	41	47	45	40	41	39	39	39	45	51	53	47	38	38	39
Wed	37	38	41	46	46	41	40	39	41	41	47	54	52	47	38	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	45	44	40	39	40	41	44	54	60	55	50	40	38	39
Fri	37	37	38	39	39	39	40	41	44	51	63	66	55	44	39	38	38
Sat	38	37	36	37	37	37	40	44	43	41	40	39	38	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	36	36	37	37	39	43	41	42	41	38	38	37	37	38	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	39	42	42	39	39	39	39	41	45	50	47	42	38	38	39
Tue	37	38	41	47	45	40	41	39	39	39	45	51	53	47	38	38	39
Wed	37	38	41	46	46	41	40	39	41	41	47	54	52	47	38	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	45	44	40	39	40	41	44	54	60	55	50	40	38	39
Fri	37	37	38	39	39	39	40	41	44	51	63	66	55	44	39	38	38
Sat	38	37	36	37	37	37	40	44	43	41	40	39	38	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	36	36	37	37	39	43	41	42	41	38	38	37	37	38	38