Allentown to Ashland is 59.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via William Penn Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, offering a straightforward journey. Expect a local feel for most of the trip, with a significant portion of your drive on local roads rather than high-speed highways. It's a manageable distance, perfect for a half-day excursion or a quick connection between these two points.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
William Penn Highway
21.7 mi
26m
Centre Turnpike
10.6 mi
12m
Joseph H. Long Boulevard
5.1 mi
5m
Tilghman Street
5 mi
8m
Fountain Street
4.2 mi
6m
Route 61 South
3 mi
3m
Pottsville Pike
2.4 mi
3m
South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 21.7 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Allentown, PA and Ashland, PA.
1
Start on Tilghman Street
5.0 mi·8 min·Tilghman Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
3
Merge onto US 22
0.7 mi·54 sec·Lehigh Valley Thruway
4
Merge onto I 78; US 22
22 mi·26 min·William Penn Highway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 29Toward PA 61 North: PottsvilleUse the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 29Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
7
Merge onto PA 61
2.4 mi·3 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on PA 61
11 mi·12 min·Centre Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on PA 61
3.0 mi·3 min·Route 61 South
10
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi·18 sec·Pottsville Boulevard
11
Continue on PA 61
1.5 mi·2 min·South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
12
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi·1 min·Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
13
Continue on PA 61
5.1 mi·5 min·Joseph H. Long Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on PA 61
0.2 mi·22 sec·Skyline Drive
15
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi·1 min·South Lehigh Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto PA 61
1.2 mi·1 min·West Oak Street
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on PA 61
4.2 mi·6 min·Fountain Street
18
Turn right onto PA 61
0.9 mi·1 min·Broad Street
19
Turn slight right onto PA 61
0.5 mi·55 sec·South Hoffman Boulevard
20
Turn left onto PA 54; PA 61
0.5 mi·46 sec·Centre Street
21
Arrive at destination
PA 54; PA 61
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 29.9 miles from Allentown, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 52.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Tilghman Street
Depart onto Tilghman Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
27.5 mi into trip|~36m in
Take the exit toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 29
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
7
27.7 mi into trip|~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 29
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
5
28 mi into trip|~37m in|PA 61 / Pottsville Pike
Merge onto PA 61 / Pottsville Pike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
52.6 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|PA 61 / West Oak Street
Turn left onto PA 61 / West Oak Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.91 one way
$19.83 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$10.86
$21.72
premium
$4.93
$11.60
$23.19
diesel
$5.61
$13.20
$26.41
Estimated Tolls: $0.79
Centre Turnpike
(10.6 mi)$0.74
Lehigh Valley Thruway
(0.7 mi)$0.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
17.9
0
$6.28
$2.87
Efficient EV
15
0
$5.23
$2.39
EV Truck/SUV
23.9
0
$8.37
$3.83
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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 20, 2026
Origin
Allentown, PA
Morning
in Allentown on Tuesday
Local time
10:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
36°F
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
W 0 to 15 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued April 19 at 9:13PM EDT until April 21 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 9:13PM EDT until April 20 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Destination
Ashland, PA
Morning
in Ashland on Tuesday
Local time
10:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
8 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 20m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent changes in direction. With only 23% of the drive on highways, anticipate a more intimate connection with the landscape and local traffic. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 21.7 miles along the William Penn Highway. This suggests a driving experience that requires consistent attention to navigation and road conditions, rather than a long, monotonous highway cruise.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.7 mi on William Penn Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive near Tilghman Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.8 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: near the start (Tilghman Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Allentown is the largest city in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, the county seat and largest city in Lehigh County, and the third-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with a population of 125,845 as of 2020.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 59.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.7 miles on William Penn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.79 in tolls one way, starting with Centre Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Ashland, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Tilghman Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ashland, PA before heading back.
