Best Time to Drive from Providence to Lowell

Right now (10:18 pm EDT): about 76 minutes via I-495 North and I-95 North.

Only 77% 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 Providence 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	72	77	84	88	77	77	76	75	74	76	80	79	77	73	72	72	74
Tue	73	80	96	96	83	75	75	74	74	76	81	83	82	74	72	73	74
Wed	72	78	90	93	83	77	76	75	74	77	84	84	81	75	72	72	74
Thu	72	79	89	92	82	77	75	74	75	81	89	91	87	77	72	73	74
Fri	71	74	77	77	76	78	78	80	83	90	94	88	82	77	72	72	71
Sat	71	69	69	70	70	74	75	74	75	74	73	71	71	71	70	71	70
Sun	71	70	68	68	69	70	71	72	72	71	69	70	70	70	72	72	74

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Providence to Lowell (via I-495 North and I-95 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 99 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (75 minutes).

About 74 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Providence 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 Providence to Lowell?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 71 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Providence to Lowell?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 99 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-495 North in Boston (56 miles) · I-95 North in Boston (11 miles)

Boston traffic right now · Boston traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	77	84	88	77	77	76	75	74	76	80	79	77	73	72	72	74
Tue	73	80	96	96	83	75	75	74	74	76	81	83	82	74	72	73	74
Wed	72	78	90	93	83	77	76	75	74	77	84	84	81	75	72	72	74
Thu	72	79	89	92	82	77	75	74	75	81	89	91	87	77	72	73	74
Fri	71	74	77	77	76	78	78	80	83	90	94	88	82	77	72	72	71
Sat	71	69	69	70	70	74	75	74	75	74	73	71	71	71	70	71	70
Sun	71	70	68	68	69	70	71	72	72	71	69	70	70	70	72	72	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	77	84	88	77	77	76	75	74	76	80	79	77	73	72	72	74
Tue	73	80	96	96	83	75	75	74	74	76	81	83	82	74	72	73	74
Wed	72	78	90	93	83	77	76	75	74	77	84	84	81	75	72	72	74
Thu	72	79	89	92	82	77	75	74	75	81	89	91	87	77	72	73	74
Fri	71	74	77	77	76	78	78	80	83	90	94	88	82	77	72	72	71
Sat	71	69	69	70	70	74	75	74	75	74	73	71	71	71	70	71	70
Sun	71	70	68	68	69	70	71	72	72	71	69	70	70	70	72	72	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	77	84	88	77	77	76	75	74	76	80	79	77	73	72	72	74
Tue	73	80	96	96	83	75	75	74	74	76	81	83	82	74	72	73	74
Wed	72	78	90	93	83	77	76	75	74	77	84	84	81	75	72	72	74
Thu	72	79	89	92	82	77	75	74	75	81	89	91	87	77	72	73	74
Fri	71	74	77	77	76	78	78	80	83	90	94	88	82	77	72	72	71
Sat	71	69	69	70	70	74	75	74	75	74	73	71	71	71	70	71	70
Sun	71	70	68	68	69	70	71	72	72	71	69	70	70	70	72	72	74