The drive from Altoona, PA to Vandergrift, PA covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 51m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ben Franklin Highway, US 22, PA 56 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.6 miles on Ben Franklin Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.21 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.9 miles from Altoona, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 56m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 51m. Total distance: 79.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Altoona, PA to Vandergrift, PA covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 51m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ben Franklin Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 29.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Lexington Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 79.7 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.2 miles (Lexington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Lexington Avenue
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.5 mi into trip|~11m in|US 22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
7
22.7 mi into trip|~30m in
Take the exit toward Ebensburg, Loretto
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Ebensburg, Loretto
8
23.1 mi into trip|~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Ebensburg, Loretto
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward Ebensburg, Loretto
6
79.7 mi into trip|~1h 51m in|Washington Avenue
Turn sharp left onto Washington Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Altoona, PA and Vandergrift, PA, road signs point toward Ebensburg and Loretto.
Ebensburg
22.7 mi in|~30m
Loretto
22.7 mi in|~30m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ben Franklin Highway
29.6 mi
39m
US 22
16.6 mi
19m
PA 56
16.4 mi
24m
Benjamin Franklin Highway
6 mi
8m
6th Avenue
3.6 mi
6m
North Warren Avenue
2.4 mi
2m
7th Avenue
1.8 mi
2m
East High Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Ben Franklin Highway
— 29.6 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, PA and Vandergrift, PA.
1
Start on 7th Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·7th Street
2
Turn left onto Lexington Avenue
257 ft·16 sec·Lexington Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto 8th Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·8th Street
4
Turn right onto PA 764
1.8 mi·2 min·7th Avenue
5
Continue on PA 764
3.6 mi·6 min·6th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·30 sec
Toward US 22 West: Ebensburg
7
Continue on US 22
0.3 mi·21 sec·US 22
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22
16 mi·19 min·US 22
Toward US 22 West: EbensburgUse the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward Ebensburg, LorettoUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
450 ft·12 sec
Toward Ebensburg, LorettoUse the straight lane.
11
Merge onto Rowena Drive
0.6 mi·1 min·Rowena Drive
Toward Ebensburg
12
Continue on East High Street
0.6 mi·1 min·East High Street
13
Take the exit
183 ft·8 sec
14
Continue on Ben Franklin Highway
1.7 mi·2 min·Ben Franklin Highway
15
Merge onto US 422
6.0 mi·8 min·Benjamin Franklin Highway
16
Continue on US 422
28 mi·36 min·Ben Franklin Highway
17
Turn left onto PA 56; PA 156
16 mi·24 min·PA 56; PA 156
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto PA 56; PA 66
0.2 mi·10 sec·Kiski Avenue
19
Continue on PA 56; PA 66
2.4 mi·2 min·North Warren Avenue
20
Turn left onto PA 56; PA 66 ALT
0.2 mi·17 sec·Dime Road
21
Turn right onto PA 56; PA 66 ALT
0.4 mi·36 sec·1st Street
22
Turn sharp left onto PA 56; PA 66 ALT
0.1 mi·15 sec·Custer Avenue
23
Continue on Custer Avenue
177 ft·15 sec·Custer Avenue
24
Turn sharp left onto Washington Avenue
105 ft·4 sec·Washington Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Washington Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.9 miles from Altoona, PA, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 18 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.9 miles or 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Vandergrift, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Altoona, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Altoona, PA
This is one driving day of about 79.7 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Altoona, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Ben Franklin Highway for about 29.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.9 mi from Altoona, PA
· 56m into the drive
The midpoint is around 39.9 miles from Altoona, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Vandergrift, PA
The final approach into Vandergrift, PA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 24.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.21 one way
$26.43 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$14.47
$28.94
premium
$4.93
$15.46
$30.91
diesel
$5.61
$17.60
$35.19
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.9
0
$8.37
$3.83
Efficient EV
19.9
0
$6.97
$3.19
EV Truck/SUV
31.9
0
$11.16
$5.10
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Altoona, PA
Evening
in Altoona on Friday
Local time
6:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Vandergrift, PA
Evening
in Vandergrift on Friday
Local time
6:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
38 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
1h 51m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Altoona, PA to Vandergrift, PA covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ben Franklin Highway, US 22, PA 56. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.9 miles from Altoona, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.21 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 79.7 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Lexington Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Altoona, PA and Vandergrift, PA, road signs point toward Ebensburg and Loretto.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Johnstown Flood National Memorial.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
