Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 59m
Distance
233 mi
375 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brush Valley, PA
Brett Sayles
Allentown, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Brush Valley to Allentown is 233 miles and takes about 4 hours 59 minutes via Pennsylvania Turnpike, William Penn Highway, American Legion Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two Northeast region destinations. Expect a blend of highway speeds and surface road cruising. Given the relatively short duration and single-day recommendation, this is a straightforward drive for a quick trip.
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
116.5 miles from Brush Valley, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 35m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 81 mi | 1h 29m |
| William Penn Highway | 43.6 mi | 52m |
| American Legion Memorial Highway | 22.5 mi | 27m |
| Quaker Valley Road | 14.2 mi | 20m |
| I 81 | 12.7 mi | 15m |
| Clear Shade Drive | 10.5 mi | 14m |
| Cramer Pike | 7.9 mi | 13m |
| 78th Division Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 56 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,785 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~380 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Brush Valley, PA and Allentown, PA.
Start on Valley View Road
Turn right onto PA 56; PA 259
Continue on PA 56
Take the exit
Merge onto US 22
Take the exit
Turn right onto PA 403
Continue on PA 403
Turn left onto Iron Street
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto PA 56; PA 403
Continue on PA 56; PA 403
Continue on PA 56; PA 403
Take the exit
At end of road, turn left onto Bedford Street
Continue on Scalp Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Scalp Avenue
Continue on Scalp Avenue
Continue on PA 56
Continue on PA 56
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 99; US 220
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight right onto US 220 BUS
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on US 11
Take the exit
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 81
Continue on I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Continue on I 78
Continue on I 78; US 22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Tilghman Street
Arrive at destination
Leaving Brush Valley in the morning will allow you to reach Allentown with plenty of daylight remaining. With a total drive time under 5 hours, you likely won't need more than one planned stop for fuel or a quick break. The fuel cost estimate of $39 is based on the 233-mile distance, so factor that into your budget. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Allentown, especially if you're not familiar with the area's gas station availability.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 51 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 116.5 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Allentown, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Brush Valley, 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 Brush Valley, PA
This is one driving day of about 233 miles and 4h 59m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
117 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.
A short stop after about 51 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 116.5 miles from Brush Valley, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 81 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 226.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto PA 56; PA 259
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 22 East: Ebensburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 81, US 11: Carlisle, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 11 North: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Regular Gas
$37.15 one way
$74.30 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $41.11 | $82.23 |
| premium | $4.81 | $44.10 | $88.21 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $43.99 | $87.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $10.60
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
$37
Tolls
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 81.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 69.9 | 0 | $24.47 | $11.18 |
| Efficient EV | 58.3 | 0 | $20.39 | $9.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 93.2 | 1 | $32.62 | $14.91 |
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Brush Valley on Monday
Local time
10:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Night in Allentown on Monday
Local time
10:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
82°F
Martinsburg, PA
117 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
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...
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route features 44% highway driving, with the longest continuous stretch covering 81 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. You'll transition from limited-access highways to surface roads, indicated by a change in exit density and speed limits. Expect more frequent intersections and potentially slower traffic as you move onto roads like the William Penn Highway and American Legion Memorial Highway.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near PA 56; PA 259.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 31 significant decision points across 233 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 0.1 miles (PA 56; PA 259): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 136.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,697 ft
Total Descent
2,787 ft
Highest Point
2,481 ft
~33.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,135 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Brush Valley, PA and Allentown, PA, road signs point toward Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Patp: Pittsburgh and Marysville.
Pittsburgh
Harrisburg
Patp: Pittsburgh
Marysville
Founded 1762
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 59m. Total distance: 233 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Brush Valley, PA or browse trips ending in Allentown, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.
