The drive from Erie, PA to Centerville, PA covers 163.3 miles and takes about 3h 23m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Raymond P Shafer Highway, Mon/Fayette Expressway, Parkway North for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 111.8 miles on Raymond P Shafer Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.07 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
81.6 miles from Erie, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 23m. Total distance: 163.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 23m drive with frequent turns across 163.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Raymond P Shafer Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 111.8 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 0.4 miles in near PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 163.3 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 0.4 miles (PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 114.5 miles (I 279 / Parkway North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 125.9 miles (I 579): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m 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 lane.
8
114.5 mi into trip|~2h 7m in|I 279 / Parkway North
Keep slight left at fork onto I 279 / Parkway North toward I 279: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 72
Toward I 279: Pittsburgh
7
125.9 mi into trip|~2h 23m in|I 579
Keep slight right at fork onto I 579 toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge
7
127.5 mi into trip|~2h 26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Liberty Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Liberty Bridge
7
129.4 mi into trip|~2h 30m in
Take the exit toward PA 51: Uniontown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward PA 51: Uniontown
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Raymond P Shafer Highway
111.8 mi
2h 1m
Mon/Fayette Expressway
17 mi
18m
Parkway North
11.4 mi
15m
Brownsville Road
6.5 mi
12m
Saw Mill Run Boulevard
2.6 mi
5m
US 40
2.5 mi
3m
West 12th Street
2 mi
4m
McChain Road
1.8 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Raymond P Shafer Highway
— 111.8 mi, about 2h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Erie, PA and Centerville, PA.
1
Start on State Street
0.4 mi·1 min·State Street
2
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.0 mi·4 min·West 12th Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right onto Greengarden Boulevard
0.1 mi·23 sec·Greengarden Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto West Bayfront Parkway
0.2 mi·20 sec·West Bayfront Parkway
5
Continue on I 79
112 mi·2 hr 1 min·Raymond P Shafer Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 279
11 mi·15 min·Parkway North
Exit 72Toward I 279: PittsburghUse the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 579
1.6 mi·2 min·I 579
Toward I 579 South: Veterans BridgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward Liberty BridgeUse the slight left lane.
9
Continue on Liberty Bridge
0.5 mi·1 min·Liberty Bridge
10
Continue on Liberty Tunnels
1.2 mi·2 min·Liberty Tunnels
11
Continue on US 19 Truck
152 ft·3 sec·West Liberty Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·41 sec
Toward PA 51: UniontownUse the right lane.
13
Merge onto PA 51
2.6 mi·5 min·Saw Mill Run Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn slight right onto Fairhaven Road
0.1 mi·14 sec·Fairhaven Road
15
Continue on Provost Road
1.3 mi·2 min·Provost Road
16
Continue on Brownsville Road
2.0 mi·3 min·Brownsville Road
17
Continue on Yellow Belt
0.5 mi·1 min·Brownsville Road
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on Brownsville Road
3.9 mi·7 min·Brownsville Road
19
Turn slight left onto McChain Road
1.8 mi·4 min·McChain Road
20
At end of road, turn left onto Finleyville Elrama Road
0.4 mi·46 sec·Finleyville Elrama Road
21
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
22
Merge onto PA Tpke 43
17 mi·18 min·Mon/Fayette Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 30BToward US 40 West: Centerville
24
Merge onto US 40
2.5 mi·3 min·US 40
25
Turn slight right onto PA 481
0.4 mi·45 sec·Old National Pike
26
Turn left onto Scenic Drive
60 ft·4 sec·Scenic Drive
27
Arrive at destination
Scenic Drive
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 81.6 miles from Erie, PA, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 111.8 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 36 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.6 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Centerville, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Erie, 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 Erie, PA
This is one driving day of about 163.3 miles and 3h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Erie, 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 Raymond P Shafer Highway for about 111.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 81.6 mi from Erie, PA
· 1h 32m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
25 mi from route
~61 min detour
Free
near mile 157.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.07 one way
$54.15 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$29.65
$59.30
premium
$4.93
$31.67
$63.34
diesel
$5.61
$36.05
$72.11
Estimated Tolls: $1.19
Mon/Fayette Expressway
(17 mi)$1.19
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
$27
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49
0
$17.15
$7.84
Efficient EV
40.8
0
$14.29
$6.53
EV Truck/SUV
65.3
0
$22.86
$10.45
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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
Erie, PA
Night
in Erie on Friday
Local time
10:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Centerville, PA
Night
in Centerville on Friday
Local time
10:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
15 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 23m 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 Erie, PA to Centerville, PA covers 163.3 miles and takes about 3h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Raymond P Shafer Highway, Mon/Fayette Expressway, Parkway North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 81.6 miles from Erie, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.07 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 14 significant decision points across 163.3 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 0.4 miles (PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 114.5 miles (I 279 / Parkway North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 125.9 miles (I 579): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Erie, PA to Centerville, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
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.
