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Trip from Scranton, PA to Howard, PA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 40m

Distance

136.5 mi

220 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 30m ★
6 AM
2h 41m
8 AM
3h 2m
10 AM
2h 48m
12 PM
2h 46m
3 PM
2h 49m
5 PM
3h 1m
8 PM
2h 34m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Howard, PA, PA

Howard, PA

Michael Taccetta

Trip Overview

This 136.5-mile journey from Scranton to Howard, Pennsylvania, will take you about 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete. With a fuel cost estimated at $23, it's an accessible drive that can easily be done in a single day. You'll primarily navigate the Keystone Shortway and the American Legion Memorial Highway, experiencing a local drive with frequent turns. Since both your origin and destination are within Pennsylvania in the Northeast region, you won't be crossing any major geographical boundaries. This trip is well-suited as a day excursion, allowing you to reach Howard without needing an overnight stay.

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

68.3 miles from Scranton, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 136.5-mile trip, with 0% of the route on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 95.7 miles along the Keystone Shortway, offering a sustained period of consistent travel. As you progress, the American Legion Memorial Highway and Walnut Street will introduce more varied driving conditions. This route is characterized by its local feel, suggesting you'll be transitioning through various town centers and potentially encountering more traffic signals and intersections than on a pure interstate route.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Keystone Shortway is the longest continuous segment at about 95.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lackawanna Avenue.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 2h 40m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Lackawanna Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue

Turn right onto CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
34.4 mi into trip | ~43m in

Take the exit toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 151B Toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
6
130.8 mi into trip | ~2h 28m in

Take the exit toward Jacksonville, Howard

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

Exit 163 Toward Jacksonville, Howard
6
131.6 mi into trip | ~2h 30m in | PA 26 / Jacksonville Road

Turn right onto PA 26 / Jacksonville Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Keystone Shortway 95.7 mi 1h 44m
American Legion Memorial Highway 32.7 mi 39m
Walnut Street 2.5 mi 6m
Jacksonville Road 2.4 mi 4m
River Street 0.9 mi 1m
Walt Road 0.4 mi <1m
Cedar Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
Lackawanna Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Keystone Shortway — 95.7 mi, about 1h 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scranton, PA and Howard, PA.

1

Start on Wyoming Avenue

0.1 mi · 38 sec · Wyoming Avenue
2

At end of road, turn left onto Lackawanna Avenue

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Lackawanna Avenue
3

Turn right onto CR 3023

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Cedar Avenue
4

Continue on Cedar Avenue

400 ft · 12 sec · Cedar Avenue
5

Turn left onto River Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · River Street
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
7

Merge onto I 81

33 mi · 39 min · American Legion Memorial Highway
8

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 151B Toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
9

Merge onto I 80

96 mi · 1 hr 44 min · Keystone Shortway
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Exit 163 Toward Jacksonville, Howard
11

Turn right onto Walt Road

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Walt Road
12

Turn right onto PA 26

2.4 mi · 4 min · Jacksonville Road
Use the right lane.
13

Turn left onto PA 26

2.5 mi · 6 min · Walnut Street
14

Arrive at destination

PA 26

Trip Plan

Given the 2 hour and 40-minute duration, leaving Scranton in the morning will allow you to reach Howard with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop and a manageable 136.5 miles, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before embarking on the longest stretch of 95.7 miles on the Keystone Shortway, as services might be less frequent. The 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means paying attention to navigation and potential speed changes as you pass through different communities.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.3 miles from Scranton, PA, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 95.7 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 30 miles or 38m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 68.3 miles or 1h 20m 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 8m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Scranton, 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 Scranton, PA

This is one driving day of about 136.5 miles and 2h 40m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Scranton, 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 Keystone Shortway for about 95.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 68.3 mi from Scranton, PA · 1h 20m into the drive

Downtown Mechanicsville, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mechanicsville, PA

68 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

Nanticoke, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mechanicsville, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 68.3 miles from Scranton, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Keystone Shortway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 95.7 miles.

Arriving in Howard, PA

The final approach into Howard, 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 Howard, 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

$22.63 one way

$45.26 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $24.78 $49.57
premium $4.93 $26.47 $52.94
diesel $5.61 $30.14 $60.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 40.9 0 $14.33 $6.55
Efficient EV 34.1 0 $11.94 $5.46
EV Truck/SUV 54.6 0 $19.11 $8.74

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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 14, 2026

Origin

Scranton, PA

Evening in Scranton on Wednesday

Local time

8:22 PM

EDT

Current temp

62°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy

SW 3 to 7 mph 64% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 7:38PM EDT until April 14 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS State College PA

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 7:25PM EDT until April 14 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

Howard, PA

Evening in Howard on Wednesday

Local time

8:22 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

56°F

Mechanicsville, PA

68 mi in

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

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

2h 40m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Scranton, PA to Howard, PA covers 136.5 miles and takes about 2h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Keystone Shortway, American Legion Memorial Highway, Walnut Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 68.3 miles from Scranton, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.63 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.
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 2h 40m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lackawanna Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CR 3023 / Cedar Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Scranton, PA to Howard, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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