Origin
Forward, PA
Late night in Forward on Friday
Local time
3:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forward, PA to Altoona, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
55.6 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forward, PA
Haneul Trac
Trip Overview
The drive from Forward, PA to Altoona, PA covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Flight 93 Memorial Highway, William Penn Highway, Portage Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.4 miles on Flight 93 Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 55.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 25m drive with frequent turns across 55.6 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.
Flight 93 Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.4 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 7.8 miles in near PA 403 / Whistler Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.6 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 7.8 miles (PA 403 / Whistler Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 36.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
7.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
PA 403 / Whistler Street
Turn right onto PA 403 / Whistler Street
Navigation decision point
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
36.2 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the ramp toward US 22 East: Altoona
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 22 East: Altoona
6
47.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
5
53.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Altoona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Altoona
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 Forward, PA to Altoona, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
Bedford
46.9 mi in
|
~1h 12m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 93 Memorial Highway | 14.4 mi | 17m |
| William Penn Highway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| Portage Street | 9.5 mi | 13m |
| Ridge Road | 7.2 mi | 19m |
| I 99 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| 17th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Railroad Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Evergreen Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Flight 93 Memorial Highway
— 14.4 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forward, PA and Altoona, PA.
1
Start on this road
21 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Ridge Road
2.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Ridge Road
3
Continue on Ridge Road
4.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Ridge Road
4
Continue on PA 403
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Border Street
5
Turn right onto PA 403
412 ft
·
8 sec
·
Whistler Street
6
Continue on PA 403
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
7
Turn left onto Woodstown Highway
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Woodstown Highway
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
9
Merge onto US 219
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Flight 93 Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
11
Turn right onto Railroad Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Railroad Street
12
Continue on PA 53
9.5 mi
·
13 min
·
Portage Street
13
Turn left onto PA 53
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Cleveland Street
14
Turn right onto PA 53
510 ft
·
9 sec
·
Main Street
15
Turn slight left onto PA 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Evergreen Street
16
Continue on PA 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West 2nd Street
17
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 22 East: Altoona
Use the right lane.
18
Merge onto US 22
10 mi
·
11 min
·
William Penn Highway
19
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
this road
Toward I 99, US 220: Altoona, Bedford
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 99 North, US 220 North: Altoona
21
Merge onto I 99; US 220
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
I 99; US 220
22
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward 17th Street
23
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Altoona
24
Turn straight onto 17th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
17th Street
25
Turn right onto PA 764
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
6th Avenue
26
Turn left onto 7th Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
7th Street
27
Arrive at destination
7th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.8 mi from Forward, PA · 47m 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 Forward, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Altoona, PA
The final approach into Altoona, 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
$9.22 one way
$18.44 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.10 | $20.19 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.78 | $21.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.28 | $24.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
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 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.78 | $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
Altoona, PA
Late night in Altoona on Friday
Local time
3:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Oil City, 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
1 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 25m 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 Forward, PA to Altoona, PA covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Flight 93 Memorial Highway, William Penn Highway, Portage Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.8 miles from Forward, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.22 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 55.6 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.8 miles (PA 403 / Whistler Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 36.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Forward, PA to Altoona, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Bedford along the way.
How this page is built
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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