The drive from Benton, OH to Youngstown, OH covers 148.3 miles and takes about 3h behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 76, Bucyrus Bypass, I 71 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57.6 miles on I 76.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.02 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74.2 miles from Benton, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h. Total distance: 148.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
This is a 3h highway drive covering 148.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 76 and Bucyrus Bypass. The longest continuous stretch is about 57.6 miles on I 76.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 76 is the longest continuous segment at about 57.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 76 and Bucyrus Bypass. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 76.9 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 148.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 76.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 77.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 95.2 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
76.9 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward I 76, US 224: Lodi, Akron
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 209A-B
Toward I 76, US 224: Lodi, Akron
9
77.1 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76, US 224 East: Akron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 209A
Toward I 76, US 224 East: Akron
6
95.2 mi into trip|~1h 57m in|I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
97.1 mi into trip|~2h in|I 76
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 toward I 76 East: Akron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Akron
6
98.4 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|I 76; I 77
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76; I 77
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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 Benton, OH to Youngstown, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Akron along the way.
Akron
76.9 mi in|~1h 35m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 76
57.6 mi
1h 6m
Bucyrus Bypass
34.8 mi
38m
I 71
31.9 mi
34m
I 680
5.9 mi
8m
Marion-Melmore Road
5.7 mi
13m
I 80
4 mi
4m
Lincoln Highway
3.4 mi
5m
Kenmore Expressway
1.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 76
— 57.6 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Benton, OH and Youngstown, OH.
1
Start on Benton Road
119 ft·6 sec·Benton Road
2
Turn right onto CR 1
5.7 mi·13 min·Marion-Melmore Road
3
Turn left onto Lincoln Highway
3.4 mi·5 min·Lincoln Highway
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
5
Merge onto US 30
35 mi·38 min·Bucyrus Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 176Toward I 71 North: Cleveland
7
Merge onto I 71
32 mi·34 min·I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 209A-BToward I 76, US 224: Lodi, AkronUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 209AToward I 76, US 224 East: AkronUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 76; US 224
17 mi·20 min·I 76; US 224
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
1.9 mi·2 min·Kenmore Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
1.2 mi·1 min·I 76
Toward I 76 East: AkronUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76; I 77
39 mi·43 min·I 76; I 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 80
4.0 mi·4 min·I 80
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
5.9 mi·8 min·I 680
Toward I 680: Youngstown
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·39 sec
17
Turn sharp left onto Market Street
0.6 mi·59 sec·Market Street
18
Keep slight right at fork onto Central Square
124 ft·2 sec·Central Square
19
Arrive at destination
Central Square
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74.2 miles from Benton, OH, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.6 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 33 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74.2 miles or 1h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Youngstown, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Benton, OH so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Benton, OH
This is one driving day of about 148.3 miles and 3h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Benton, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 76 for about 57.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 74.2 mi from Benton, OH
· 1h 32m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.02 one way
$46.03 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.38
$25.54
$51.09
premium
$4.91
$28.66
$57.32
diesel
$5.61
$32.74
$65.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.5
0
$15.57
$7.12
Efficient EV
37.1
0
$12.98
$5.93
EV Truck/SUV
59.3
0
$20.76
$9.49
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (67% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Benton, OH
Late night
in Benton on Saturday
Local time
1:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Youngstown, OH
Late night
in Youngstown on Saturday
Local time
1:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Medina, OH
74 mi in
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
17 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 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 Benton, OH to Youngstown, OH covers 148.3 miles and takes about 3h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 76, Bucyrus Bypass, I 71. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 74.2 miles from Benton, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.02 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 148.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 76.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 77.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 95.2 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Benton, OH to Youngstown, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Akron along the way.
