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Trip from Tarentum, PA to Pittsburgh, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

32m

Distance

19.8 mi

32 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Good

5 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
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.

Downtown Tarentum, PA, PA

Tarentum, PA

Haneul Trac

city and county seat in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States

Pittsburgh, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Tarentum to Pittsburgh is 19.8 miles and takes about 32 minutes via Allegheny Valley Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, highway-focused trip primarily within Pennsylvania's Northeast region. Given its brevity, it’s an ideal option for a quick commute or an easy addition to a longer journey. You'll spend most of your time on the expressway, making it a straightforward drive with minimal detours.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 19.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the journey on expressways. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 16.6 miles on the Allegheny Valley Expressway, offering a consistent pace. You'll transition from Freeport Road and West 7th Avenue before merging onto the expressway, providing a brief taste of local roads before the main highway segment. Expect a mostly direct and efficient driving experience on this road.

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.
Allegheny Valley Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Allegheny Valley Expressway and West 7th Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 19.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

5
1.8 mi into trip | ~4m in | PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway

Merge onto PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
18.4 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward I 579 South, I 279 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville, Fort Pitt Bridge, Airport

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1A Toward I 579 South, I 279 South: Veterans Bridg...
9
18.5 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroevill...
7
19 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue
6
19.4 mi into trip | ~30m in

Keep slight left at fork toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Tarentum, PA and Pittsburgh, PA, road signs point toward Monroeville and Airport.

Monroeville

18.4 mi in | ~28m

Airport

18.4 mi in | ~28m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Allegheny Valley Expressway 16.6 mi 24m
West 7th Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Freeport Road 0.6 mi 1m
Veterans Bridge 0.3 mi <1m
Baileys Run Road 0.2 mi <1m
Grant Street 0.1 mi <1m
Bigelow Square <0.1 mi <1m
Sixth Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Allegheny Valley Expressway — 16.6 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tarentum, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.

1

Start on East Street

194 ft · 7 sec · East Street
2

Turn right onto West 7th Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 7th Avenue
3

Continue on Freeport Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Freeport Road
4

Turn right onto Baileys Run Road

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Baileys Run Road
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
6

Merge onto PA 28

17 mi · 24 min · Allegheny Valley Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

181 ft · 4 sec
Exit 1A Toward I 579 South, I 279 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville, Fort Pitt Bridge, Airport Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto I 579

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Veterans Bridge
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

502 ft · 14 sec
Toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue
12

Turn straight onto Bigelow Boulevard

224 ft · 3 sec · Bigelow Boulevard
13

Continue on Bigelow Square

386 ft · 6 sec · Bigelow Square
Toward 6th Avenue Use the straight / left lanes.
14

Turn right onto Sixth Avenue

347 ft · 11 sec · Sixth Avenue
15

Turn left onto Grant Street

296 ft · 22 sec · Grant Street
16

Continue on Grant Street

254 ft · 13 sec · Grant Street
17

Arrive at destination

Grant Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.28 one way

$6.57 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.60 $7.19
premium $4.93 $3.84 $7.68
diesel $5.61 $4.37 $8.74

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.9 0 $2.08 $0.95
Efficient EV 5 0 $1.73 $0.79
EV Truck/SUV 7.9 0 $2.77 $1.27

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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

Tarentum, PA

Late night in Tarentum on Saturday

Local time

3:30 AM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Pittsburgh, PA

Late night in Pittsburgh on Saturday

Local time

3:30 AM

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

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

32m 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 Tarentum, PA to Pittsburgh, PA covers 19.8 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Allegheny Valley Expressway, West 7th Avenue, Freeport Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 9.9 miles from Tarentum, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.28 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 is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 19.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Tarentum, PA and Pittsburgh, PA, road signs point toward Monroeville and Airport.

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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