Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 55m
Distance
87.1 mi
140 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Rutherford, PA
Haneul Trac
This 87.1-mile drive from Bethlehem, PA to Rutherford, PA is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes. You'll navigate a mix of roads, including the William Penn Highway and I-81, with about 18% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this excursion is around $14, making it an affordable option. The route is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a more local and engaging driving experience rather than a straightforward interstate cruise. Both your origin and destination are within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, so you'll stay within familiar territory throughout your journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.6 miles from Bethlehem, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 87.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' personality for this 87.1-mile trip. While about 18% of your route will be on highways like I-81 and the Lehigh Valley Thruway, a significant portion is on local roads, including the William Penn Highway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 43.1 miles on the William Penn Highway, offering a good segment of consistent driving before you need to make turns. This blend means you'll experience varied road conditions and potentially slower speeds as you transition between different types of thoroughfares.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 87.1 miles you will encounter 17 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 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles (I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork toward US 22 West: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 81 South: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward Paxtonia, Linglestown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bethlehem, PA and Rutherford, PA, road signs point toward Paxtonia and Linglestown.
Paxtonia
Linglestown
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 43.1 mi | 51m |
| I 81 | 15.7 mi | 18m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 9.8 mi | 13m |
| 78th Division Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Nyes Road | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Bethlehem Spur Route | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Union Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Creek Crossing Drive | 0.8 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bethlehem, PA and Rutherford, PA.
Start on Linden Street
Turn right onto East Union Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto PA 378
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 22
Merge onto I 78; US 22
Continue on I 78; US 22
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn left onto North Mountain Road
Continue on South Mountain Road
Turn left onto Jonestown Road
Turn right onto Nyes Road
Turn right onto Union Deposit Road
Turn slight left onto Conway Road
Turn right onto Lyters Lane
Turn left onto Atticks Lane
Continue on Creek Crossing Drive
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
Turn left onto Rudy Alley
Arrive at destination
With a total duration of under two hours, this trip offers plenty of flexibility. You can easily complete it in a single day, so consider leaving mid-morning to avoid rush hour and arrive at your destination with ample daylight. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 43.1 miles, so plan for a brief stop around the halfway point if you prefer not to drive for that long at once. Keep an eye on your GPS for the frequent turns, especially as you transition from I-81 onto local roads like the William Penn Highway. At an estimated fuel cost of $14, you won't need to worry about frequent refueling stops.
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.
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 19 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.6 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rutherford, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Bethlehem, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bethlehem, PA
This is one driving day of about 87.1 miles and 1h 55m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.6 mi from Bethlehem, PA · 56m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 43.6 miles from Bethlehem, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Rutherford, 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.
Regular Gas
$14.44 one way
$28.88 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $15.82 | $31.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $16.89 | $33.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.23 | $38.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.69
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.1 | 0 | $9.15 | $4.18 |
| Efficient EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.8 | 0 | $12.19 | $5.57 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Bethlehem on Friday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Rutherford on Friday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
56°F
Bloomsburg, PA
44 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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