Skip to main content

Trip from East Conemaugh, PA to Erie, PA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 50m

Distance

182.4 mi

294 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 38m ★
6 AM
3h 50m
8 AM
4h 16m
10 AM
3h 59m
12 PM
3h 57m
3 PM
4h 1m
5 PM
4h 15m
8 PM
3h 43m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown East Conemaugh, PA, PA

East Conemaugh, PA

Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare

Trip Overview

Traveling from East Conemaugh to Erie covers 182.4 miles and typically takes about 3 hours and 50 minutes. Because this is a highway-focused drive, it is perfectly manageable as a straightforward one-day trip, meaning you likely won't need to book an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Budgeting approximately $30 for fuel will get you from the Northeast region of Pennsylvania up to the shores of Lake Erie. You will primarily navigate via I-79, the Ben Franklin Highway, and US-422. It is an efficient route that balances interstate transit with local highway driving, making it a practical choice for travelers looking to bridge the distance between these two Pennsylvania points without unnecessary detours.

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

91.2 miles from East Conemaugh, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 6m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a drive defined by a mix of quick highway segments and essential regional roads, with about 67% of the journey spent on highways. The route features a notable longest stretch of 83.6 miles on I-79, where you can settle into a steady cruising speed. As you transition between the Ben Franklin Highway and US-422, the road environment shifts from local corridors to high-capacity lanes. While the route is highway-focused, the variation in road types keeps the drive from feeling like a monotonous interstate grind. You will find that the personality of the road evolves as you move through the Pennsylvania landscape, requiring you to stay attentive to changing speed limits and traffic flow.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 79 is the longest continuous segment at about 83.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and Ben Franklin Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near PA 271 / 2nd Street.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 50m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (PA 271 / 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 95.8 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 179.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | PA 271 / 2nd Street

Turn right onto PA 271 / 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

5
95.8 mi into trip | ~2h 13m in | I 79

Merge onto I 79

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
179.4 mi into trip | ~3h 43m in

Take the exit toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 183A Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
5
179.6 mi into trip | ~3h 44m in | PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street

Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
181.9 mi into trip | ~3h 48m in | State Street

Turn left onto State Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 79 83.6 mi 1h 29m
Ben Franklin Highway 42.8 mi 56m
US 422 38.5 mi 52m
William Penn Avenue 6.7 mi 11m
Station Road 3.5 mi 5m
West 12th Street 2.3 mi 4m
Parkhill Drive 2.1 mi 3m
Shoemaker Street 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 79 — 83.6 mi, about 1h 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Conemaugh, PA and Erie, PA.

1

Start on Oak Street

100 ft · 7 sec · Oak Street
2

Turn right onto PA 271

319 ft · 6 sec · 2nd Street
3

Turn straight onto PA 271

2.1 mi · 3 min · Parkhill Drive
4

Turn straight onto PA 271

6.7 mi · 11 min · William Penn Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Continue on PA 271

0.8 mi · 1 min · Shoemaker Street
6

Continue on PA 271

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Chestnut Street
7

At end of road, turn left onto PA 271

0.5 mi · 45 sec · 2nd Street
8

Continue on PA 271

3.5 mi · 5 min · Station Road
9

At end of road, turn left onto US 422; PA 271

0.4 mi · 53 sec · Benjamin Franklin Highway
10

Continue on US 422

43 mi · 56 min · Ben Franklin Highway
Use the straight lane.
11

Take the exit onto US 422

39 mi · 52 min · US 422
12

Turn left

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 79 North: Erie
13

Merge onto I 79

84 mi · 1 hr 29 min · I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 49 sec
Exit 183A Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
15

Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290

2.3 mi · 4 min · West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn left onto State Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · State Street
Use the left lane.
17

Arrive at destination

State Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of your 3-hour and 50-minute journey, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh. Since the trip is relatively compact, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule, though avoiding peak traffic hours on major arteries like I-79 will ensure a smoother experience. Keep your $30 fuel budget in mind as you plan your stops, especially if you prefer to top off before hitting the longer interstate stretches. Given that the longest segment covers 83.6 miles, prioritize your rest break somewhere in the middle to stay sharp behind the wheel. Because this is a single-day trip, pack light and focus your energy on arriving in Erie with plenty of time to enjoy your destination.

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 91.2 miles from East Conemaugh, PA, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.6 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 40 miles or 57m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 91.2 miles or 2h 6m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 11m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Erie, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving East Conemaugh, PA 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 East Conemaugh, PA

This is one driving day of about 182.4 miles and 3h 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from East Conemaugh, PA.
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 79 for about 83.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 91.2 mi from East Conemaugh, PA · 2h 6m into the drive

city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New Kensington, PA

91 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

Indiana, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Meadowood, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 91.2 miles from East Conemaugh, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 79 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 83.6 miles.

Arriving in Erie, PA

The final approach into Erie, PA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Erie, PA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.24 one way

$60.48 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 64 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $33.12 $66.24
premium $4.93 $35.37 $70.75
diesel $5.61 $40.27 $80.54

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 63.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 54.7 0 $19.15 $8.76
Efficient EV 45.6 0 $15.96 $7.30
EV Truck/SUV 73 0 $25.54 $11.67

Gas CO2

64 kg

EV CO2

21 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 16, 2026

Origin

East Conemaugh, PA

Late night in East Conemaugh on Thursday

Local time

1:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Erie, PA

Late night in Erie on Thursday

Local time

1:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°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

8 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

3h 50m 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 East Conemaugh, PA to Erie, PA covers 182.4 miles and takes about 3h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 79, Ben Franklin Highway, US 422. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 91.2 miles from East Conemaugh, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.24 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 straightforward 3h 50m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (PA 271 / 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 95.8 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 179.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from East Conemaugh, PA to Erie, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from East Conemaugh, PA or browse trips ending in Erie, PA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.

Explore maps for East Conemaugh, PA or Erie, PA on MapSof.net.