City of Scranton, PA to Meadowood, PA is 281 miles and takes about 5h 28m via Keystone Shortway, American Legion Memorial Highway, and PA 38, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, traveling from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a drive that primarily utilizes surface roads, with a significant stretch on the Keystone Shortway. It's a manageable one-day drive, making it a straightforward option 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
140.5 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
216.8 mi
3h 53m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
PA 38
26.1 mi
42m
East Jefferson Street
1.4 mi
2m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
South Monroe Street
0.4 mi
1m
Morton Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
East Mc Quistion Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 216.8 mi, about 3h 53m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,102 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,486
Quietest
2 AM
~187 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Scranton, PA and Meadowood, PA.
1
Start on Cedar Avenue
0.1 mi·11 sec·Cedar Avenue
2
Continue on Cedar Avenue
400 ft·12 sec·Cedar Avenue
3
Turn left onto River Street
0.9 mi·1 min·River Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
5
Merge onto I 81
33 mi·39 min·American Legion Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 151BToward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
7
Merge onto I 80
217 mi·3 hr 53 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Toward PA 38: Emlenton
9
Turn left onto PA 38
26 mi·42 min·PA 38
10
Turn right onto PA 68
1.4 mi·2 min·East Jefferson Street
11
Turn left onto South Monroe Street
0.4 mi·1 min·South Monroe Street
12
Turn right onto PA 356
0.1 mi·19 sec·Center Avenue
13
Turn left onto Fairview Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·Fairview Avenue
14
Turn straight onto Morton Avenue
0.4 mi·43 sec·Morton Avenue
15
Turn right onto East Mc Quistion Road
0.3 mi·48 sec·East Mc Quistion Road
16
Turn left onto White Oak Drive
126 ft·5 sec·White Oak Drive
17
Keep slight right at fork onto White Oak Drive
0.1 mi·31 sec·White Oak Drive
18
Turn right onto Thornwood Road
489 ft·28 sec·Thornwood Road
19
Turn left onto Oakridge Drive
0.1 mi·28 sec·Oakridge Drive
20
Arrive at destination
Oakridge Drive
Trip Plan
Given this is a one-day, 5-hour drive, you can depart anytime in the morning to arrive by afternoon. With only one recommended stop, plan it strategically for a break around the halfway point or when fuel is needed. The longest stretch on the Keystone Shortway is 216.8 miles, so ensure you have sufficient fuel before entering this section. The majority of the route is on surface roads, so factor in slightly slower speeds and more traffic signals, especially as you get closer to Meadowood.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 140.5 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 216.8 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 62 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.5 miles or 2h 37m 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 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Meadowood, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Scranton, 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 City of Scranton, PA
This is one driving day of about 281 miles and 5h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from City of Scranton, 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 216.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 34 and 280.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
34 mi into trip|~42m in
Take the exit toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 151B
Toward I-80 West: Bloomsburg
5
279.7 mi into trip|~5h 24m in|Fairview Avenue
Turn left onto Fairview Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
280.7 mi into trip|~5h 27m in|White Oak Drive
Turn left onto White Oak Drive
Navigation decision point
5
280.7 mi into trip|~5h 27m in|White Oak Drive
Keep slight right at fork onto White Oak Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
280.9 mi into trip|~5h 28m in|Oakridge Drive
Turn left onto Oakridge Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.81 one way
$89.61 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$49.58
$99.17
premium
$4.81
$53.19
$106.38
diesel
$4.80
$53.06
$106.12
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84.3
1
$29.51
$13.49
Efficient EV
70.3
0
$24.59
$11.24
EV Truck/SUV
112.4
1
$39.34
$17.98
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Monday
Local time
6:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Areas Of Smoke
E 0 to 3 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 9:35PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 9:22PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Destination
Meadowood, PA
Morning
in Meadowood on Monday
Local time
6:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Smoke
SE 1 to 5 mph63% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 9:35PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 9:22PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
83°F
Clearfield, PA
141 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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
5h 28m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with only about 9% on highways. You'll experience the longest stretch on the Keystone Shortway for 216.8 miles, offering a more open-road feel before transitioning. The remainder of the trip involves navigating through more developed areas with frequent intersections and local traffic. Be prepared for a less continuous highway experience as you approach your destination.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 216.8 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 34 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 28m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 279.7 miles (Fairview Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 280.7 miles (White Oak Drive): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 216.8 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 33 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 33 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 279.7 miles (Fairview Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 280.7 miles (White Oak Drive): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Meadowood, PA before the return drive.
