Origin
Center, PA
Morning in Center on Tuesday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Center, PA to Pittsburgh, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
16.6 mi
27 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Center, PA
Nino Souza
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 16.6-mile drive from Center, PA, to Pittsburgh, PA, will only take about 26 minutes, making it an ideal short trip within the Northeast region. You'll be spending about 77% of your time on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 12.8 miles on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. With a low estimated fuel cost of $3, this route is very budget-friendly. It's perfectly suited as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. The overall profile is highway-focused, so expect a direct and efficient journey between these two Pennsylvania locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 12.8 mi | 17m |
| Center Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Orange Belt | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Second Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ross Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Saltsburg Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grant Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Fifth Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
— 12.8 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Center, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
1
Start on PA 380; Orange Belt
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Saltsburg Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Orange Belt
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Center Road
3
Turn slight left onto Orange Belt
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Orange Belt
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
5
Merge onto I 376; US 22
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Use the slight left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 71B
Toward Second Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto Second Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Second Avenue
8
At end of road, turn right onto Ross Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Ross Street
9
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
352 ft
·
10 sec
·
Fifth Avenue
10
Turn right onto Grant Street
513 ft
·
21 sec
·
Grant Street
Use the right lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Grant Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 16.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Merge onto I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Second Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 71B
Toward Second Avenue
6
16.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Ross Street
At end of road, turn right onto Ross Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
16.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Fifth Avenue
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
16.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Grant Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.75 one way
$5.50 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.01 | $6.03 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.22 | $6.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.67 | $7.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.80 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.45 | $0.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Pittsburgh, PA
Morning in Pittsburgh on Tuesday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Partly Cloudy
W 5 mph
10% chance
Live forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 4:51AM EDT until April 17 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
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
10 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
26m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
The journey to Pittsburgh is predominantly a highway-focused drive. You'll navigate approximately 77% of the 16.6 miles on higher-speed roads, including a significant 12.8-mile segment on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. This means you'll experience a considerable amount of uninterrupted driving on well-maintained parkways and potentially some interstate sections. Expect a relatively smooth and direct experience, characterized by higher speeds and fewer intersections, especially during that longest stretch. The route prioritizes efficiency over leisurely scenic cruising.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.8 mi on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East and Center Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.3 miles (Ross Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,248 ft
753 ft
Total Climb
695 ft
Total Descent
942 ft
Highest Point
1,248 ft
~8.3 mi in
Elevation Range
495 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Pittsburgh, PA
Full guide →Founded 1758
The pleasure of Pittsburgh remains a well-kept secret. Though not built up by reputation, the city's unique combination of bridges, steep hills, and broad rivers make it one of the most naturally scenic cities in the country. Cheap food and beer abound in this true sports town and the locals are amazingly friendly. A city of about 303,000 (2021) in Allegheny County, at the center of a metro area of about 2.4 million in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is situated at the confluence of three rivers: the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city's unique terrain has resulted in an unusual city design and a hodge-podge of unique neighborhood "pockets" with diverse ethnic and architectural heritage.
Top landmarks
- • Carnegie Museum of Natural History — natural history museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- • Allegheny Observatory — historic observatory of the University of Pittsburgh
- • Carnegie Museum of Art — museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 16.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.8 miles on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 3 miles (I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.3 miles (Ross Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pittsburgh, PA before heading back.
How this page is built
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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