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Trip from Waterford, PA to Allentown, PA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

6h 37m

Distance

319.8 mi

515 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
6h 25m ★
6 AM
6h 37m
8 AM
7h 1m
10 AM
6h 46m
12 PM
6h 43m
3 PM
6h 47m
5 PM
7h 0m
8 PM
6h 30m

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 Waterford, PA, PA

Waterford, PA

Jack Pace

county seat city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States

Allentown, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Waterford, PA to Allentown, PA covers 319.8 miles and takes about 6h 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, Colonel Drake Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 153.1 miles on Keystone Shortway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $53.02 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

159.9 miles from Waterford, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 26m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 37m. Total distance: 319.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 37m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 37m drive with frequent turns across 319.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 56 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 153.1 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 0.6 miles in near PA 97 / PA-97.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 319.8 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 0.6 miles (PA 97 / PA-97): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.3 miles (PA 8 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 234.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

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

5
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | PA 97 / PA-97

Enter roundabout onto PA 97 / PA-97

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
8.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | PA 8 / North Main Street

Turn right onto PA 8 / North Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
234.5 mi into trip | ~4h 46m in

Take the exit toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville

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

Toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville
9
313.7 mi into trip | ~6h 27m in | US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI A...
6
314.7 mi into trip | ~6h 28m in

Take the exit toward Cetronia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Cetronia

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 Waterford, PA to Allentown, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Washingtonville along the way.

Washingtonville

234.5 mi in | ~4h 46m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Keystone Shortway 153.1 mi 2h 44m
William Penn Highway 21.6 mi 26m
Colonel Drake Highway 13.5 mi 19m
William Flinn Highway 12.4 mi 16m
Route 208 12.3 mi 18m
State Route 54 11.1 mi 13m
Center Avenue 10.6 mi 12m
Elysburg Road 9.7 mi 11m
Longest stretch: Keystone Shortway — 153.1 mi, about 2h 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waterford, PA and Allentown, PA.

1

Start on US 19; PA 97

0.4 mi · 52 sec · High Street
2

Continue on US 19; PA 97

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Route 19
3

Enter roundabout onto PA 97

187 ft · 2 sec · PA-97
4

Continue on PA 97

6.9 mi · 8 min · PA-97
5

Continue on PA 97

0.5 mi · 54 sec · Waterford Street
6

Turn straight onto PA 97

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Perry Street
7

Turn right onto PA 8

0.8 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Continue on PA 8

3.1 mi · 4 min · Titusville Road
9

Continue on PA 8

7.8 mi · 10 min · William Flinn Highway
10

Continue on PA 8

1.6 mi · 2 min · Erie Street
11

Continue on PA 8

4.6 mi · 6 min · William Flinn Highway
12

Continue on PA 8

3.0 mi · 4 min · Hydetown Road
13

Continue on PA 8

1.3 mi · 3 min · West Spring Street
Use the straight lane.
14

Continue on PA 27

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Diamond Street
15

Turn straight onto PA 27

2.1 mi · 4 min · East Central Avenue
16

Continue on PA 27

2.6 mi · 3 min · Titusville Road
17

Continue on PA 27; PA 227

1.3 mi · 1 min · West State Street
18

Continue on PA 36

4.4 mi · 6 min · Tionesta Road
19

Continue on PA 36

4.5 mi · 6 min · Colonel Drake Highway
20

Turn left onto US 62; PA 36

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Route 36 and 62
21

At end of road, turn right onto PA 36

0.5 mi · 48 sec · Elm Street
22

Continue on PA 36

9.0 mi · 13 min · Colonel Drake Highway
23

Continue on PA 208

5.0 mi · 7 min · Route 208
24

Continue on PA 208

7.2 mi · 10 min · Route 208
25

Continue on PA 208

0.4 mi · 40 sec · North School Street
26

Turn left onto US 322

4.6 mi · 6 min · Main Street
27

Continue on US 322

1.7 mi · 2 min · West Main Street
28

Continue on US 322

1.6 mi · 2 min · Twenty-Eighth Division Highway
29

Continue on US 322

1.0 mi · 1 min · Main Street
30

Continue on US 322

4.1 mi · 5 min · Route 322
31

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
32

Merge onto I 80

153 mi · 2 hr 44 min · Keystone Shortway
33

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward PA 54: Danville, Washingtonville
34

Turn slight left

79 ft · 2 sec
35

Turn right onto PA 54

2.9 mi · 3 min · Continental Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
36

Continue on PA 54

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Factory Street
37

Continue on PA 54

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Danville-Riverside Bridge Road
38

Turn left onto PA 54

9.7 mi · 11 min · Elysburg Road
Use the left lane.
39

Continue on PA 54

11 mi · 13 min · State Route 54
40

Continue on PA 901

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Locust Gap Highway
41

Continue on PA 901

2.2 mi · 2 min · Fairgrounds Road
42

Continue on PA 901

9.4 mi · 11 min · Sunbury Road
43

Continue on PA 901

0.8 mi · 1 min · Sunbury Street
44

Turn right onto PA 901

1.8 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Minersville Highway
45

Turn right onto PA 901

4.0 mi · 6 min · Gordon Nagle Trail
46

Continue on PA 901

0.2 mi · 33 sec · North Sillyman Street
47

Turn left onto PA 183

0.7 mi · 2 min · Pottsville Street
48

Turn right onto PA 61

493 ft · 6 sec · Route 61 South
49

Continue on PA 61

11 mi · 12 min · Center Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
50

Continue on PA 61

2.7 mi · 3 min · Centre Street
51

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
52

Merge onto I 78; US 22

22 mi · 26 min · William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
53

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lehigh Valley Thruway
Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport Use the slight right lane.
54

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward Cetronia Use the slight right lane.
55

Turn straight onto Tilghman Street

4.9 mi · 8 min · Tilghman Street
Use the straight lane.
56

Arrive at destination

Tilghman Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159.9 miles from Waterford, PA, or about 3h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 153.1 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 70 miles or 1h 44m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 159.9 miles or 3h 26m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 20m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Waterford, 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 Waterford, PA

This is one driving day of about 319.8 miles and 6h 37m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Waterford, 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 153.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 159.9 mi from Waterford, PA · 3h 26m into the drive

borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

State College, PA

160 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

Lakewood, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 72 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

State College, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 162.8 miles from Waterford, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Allentown, PA

The final approach into Allentown, 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 Allentown, PA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...

21 mi from route ~52 min detour Free near mile 275.7
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$53.02 one way

$106.04 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 112 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $58.07 $116.14
premium $4.93 $62.02 $124.04
diesel $5.61 $70.61 $141.22

Estimated Tolls: $0.07

Lehigh Valley Thruway (1 mi) $0.07

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

$53

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 111.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 95.9 1 $33.58 $15.35
Efficient EV 80 0 $27.98 $12.79
EV Truck/SUV 127.9 1 $44.77 $20.47

Gas CO2

112 kg

EV CO2

37 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 16, 2026

Origin

Waterford, PA

Afternoon in Waterford on Thursday

Local time

3:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Allentown, PA

Afternoon in Allentown on Thursday

Local time

3:23 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°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

6h 37m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Waterford, PA to Allentown, PA covers 319.8 miles and takes about 6h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Keystone Shortway, William Penn Highway, Colonel Drake Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 159.9 miles from Waterford, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $53.02 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 319.8 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 0.6 miles (PA 97 / PA-97): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.3 miles (PA 8 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 234.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Waterford, PA to Allentown, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Washingtonville along the way.

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