Origin
Bethlehem, PA
Afternoon in Bethlehem on Thursday
Local time
3:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethlehem, PA to Saint Clair, PA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
55.7 mi
90 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Saint Clair, PA
Mike Norris
Trip Overview
This 55.7-mile trip from Bethlehem, PA to Saint Clair, PA will take approximately 1 hour and 13 minutes, making it a perfect single-day excursion. You'll primarily navigate on roads like the William Penn Highway, Centre Turnpike, and Lehigh Valley Thruway. With a projected fuel cost of around $9, this drive is quite economical. The journey offers a local, turn-heavy experience rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Given its manageable length and duration, this route is well-suited for a day trip, allowing for a relaxed pace and flexibility.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 55.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 55.7-mile journey between Pennsylvania communities. Only about 24% of the route involves highway travel, meaning you'll encounter more local roads and turns. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 21.7 miles along the William Penn Highway. This suggests a drive that requires attention to navigation and offers varied scenery as you transition between different types of roads. The character of the drive will likely shift from more open stretches to more involved local navigation.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
William Penn Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 21.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 35.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
3.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 22 West: Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 22 West: Allentown
5
4.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway
Merge onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
35.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 29
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
7
35.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 29
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
5
36.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
PA 61 / Pottsville Pike
Merge onto PA 61 / Pottsville Pike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 21.7 mi | 26m |
| Centre Turnpike | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 9.8 mi | 13m |
| Route 61 South | 3 mi | 3m |
| Pottsville Pike | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Bethlehem Spur Route | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| South Claude A. Lord Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Pottsville Saint Clair Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 21.7 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethlehem, PA and Saint Clair, PA.
1
Start on Linden Street
367 ft
·
13 sec
·
Linden Street
2
Turn right onto East Union Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Union Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
4
Merge onto PA 378
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Bethlehem Spur Route
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 22 West: Allentown
Use the slight left lane.
6
Merge onto US 22
9.8 mi
·
13 min
·
Lehigh Valley Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 78; US 22
22 mi
·
26 min
·
William Penn Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 29
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 29
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
10
Merge onto PA 61
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Pottsville Pike
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on PA 61
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Centre Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on PA 61
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Route 61 South
13
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Pottsville Boulevard
14
Continue on PA 61
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
15
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
16
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
Joseph H. Long Boulevard
17
Turn right onto West Hancock Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Hancock Street
18
Turn right onto North 2nd Street
79 ft
·
1 sec
·
North 2nd Street
19
Arrive at destination
North 2nd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.8 mi from Bethlehem, PA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Bethlehem, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Saint Clair, PA
The final approach into Saint Clair, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.23 one way
$18.47 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.11 | $20.23 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.80 | $21.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.30 | $24.60 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Centre Turnpike
(10.6 mi)
$0.74
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(9.8 mi)
$0.69
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $2.67 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.80 | $3.56 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (63% 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.
Destination
Saint Clair, PA
Afternoon in Saint Clair on Thursday
Local time
3:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Bloomsburg, PA
28 mi in
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
11 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
1h 13m 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 Bethlehem, PA to Saint Clair, PA covers 55.7 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are William Penn Highway, Centre Turnpike, Lehigh Valley Thruway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.8 miles from Bethlehem, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.23 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 55.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 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 35.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bethlehem, PA to Saint Clair, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
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