Origin
McDonald, PA
Evening in McDonald on Friday
Local time
7:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McDonald, PA to Pittsburgh, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
16.9 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McDonald, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
McDonald, PA to Pittsburgh, PA is 16.9 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Penn-Lincoln Parkway West, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive that offers a practical way to get from one point to another without a significant time commitment. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient connection between these two locations, especially if you're already in the general vicinity.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 16.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is a mixed bag, with about 50% of the journey on highways like the Penn-Lincoln Parkway West. You'll experience a 7.9-mile stretch on the Penn-Lincoln Parkway West, offering a taste of higher-speed travel. The route also incorporates local roads such as Noblestown Road and Baldwin Road, which will likely involve lower speeds and more turns. Expect the road conditions to vary, transitioning from faster parkway driving to more typical urban or suburban street navigation as you approach Pittsburgh.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Penn-Lincoln Parkway West is the longest continuous segment at about 7.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Center Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.2 miles (Center Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East Lincoln Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 8 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway West): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Center Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Center Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Lincoln Avenue
Turn sharp left onto East Lincoln Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway West
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway West
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
15.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East toward I 376 East: Monroeville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 376 East: Monroeville
7
16.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Grant Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 71A
Toward Grant Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway West | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Noblestown Road | 5.1 mi | 10m |
| Baldwin Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Cowan Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Boyce Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Grant Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Lincoln Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Penn-Lincoln Parkway West
— 7.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McDonald, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
1
Start on Sarah Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Sarah Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto Center Avenue
278 ft
·
19 sec
·
Center Avenue
3
Turn sharp left onto East Lincoln Avenue
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
East Lincoln Avenue
4
Continue on Noblestown Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Noblestown Road
5
At end of road, turn right onto Noblestown Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Noblestown Road
6
Continue on Noblestown Road
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Noblestown Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto PA 978; Orange Belt
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Noblestown Road
8
Turn straight onto Pinkerton Road
104 ft
·
8 sec
·
Pinkerton Road
9
Turn right onto Baldwin Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Baldwin Road
10
Turn left onto Cowan Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cowan Road
11
Continue on Boyce Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Boyce Road
12
Take the ramp
342 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 376 East
13
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Penn-Lincoln Parkway West
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22; US 30
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Toward I 376 East: Monroeville
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 71A
Toward Grant Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Continue on Grant Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grant Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Arrive at destination
Grant Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.80 one way
$5.60 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.07 | $6.14 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.28 | $6.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.73 | $7.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Pittsburgh, PA
Evening in Pittsburgh on Friday
Local time
7:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
31m 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 McDonald, PA to Pittsburgh, PA covers 16.9 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Penn-Lincoln Parkway West, Noblestown Road, Baldwin Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.5 miles from McDonald, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.80 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 16.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.2 miles (Center Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East Lincoln Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 8 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway West): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from McDonald, PA to Pittsburgh, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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