The City of Scranton, PA to Monaca, PA is 324.5 miles and takes about 6h 2m via Keystone Shortway and I-79, with a fuel budget near $58 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region toward the same region. Given its mostly surface road profile, expect a more leisurely pace than a pure interstate trip. It's a solid one-day option if you're looking to get across the state without spending too much time on high-speed highways.
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
162.3 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
239.9 mi
4h 18m
I 79
37.3 mi
40m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
Freedom Crider Road
4.4 mi
6m
Freedom Road
2.5 mi
4m
Ohio River Boulevard
2.1 mi
2m
Crows Run Road
1.5 mi
2m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 239.9 mi, about 4h 18m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,099 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,466
Quietest
2 AM
~186 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 Monaca, 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
240 mi·4 hr 18 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 79 South: Pittsburgh
9
Merge onto I 79
37 mi·40 min·I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 78-77Toward Cranberry, Pennsylvania TurnpikeUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 78Toward US 19, PA 228: Cranberry, MarsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right
133 ft·5 sec
Toward Cranberry
13
Merge onto PA 228
0.2 mi·23 sec·Mars Road
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on Freedom Road
2.5 mi·4 min·Freedom Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on Freedom Crider Road
2.4 mi·3 min·Freedom Crider Road
16
Enter roundabout onto Freedom Crider Road
98 ft·1 sec·Freedom Crider Road
17
Continue on Freedom Crider Road
2.0 mi·2 min·Freedom Crider Road
18
Turn straight onto Crows Run Road
1.5 mi·2 min·Crows Run Road
19
Turn right onto PA 65
2.1 mi·2 min·Ohio River Boulevard
20
Turn left onto PA 51
0.5 mi·44 sec·Monaca-East Rochester Bridge
21
Continue on PA 51
0.2 mi·22 sec·17th Street
22
Continue on Pennsylvania Avenue
71 ft·2 sec·Pennsylvania Avenue
23
Arrive at destination
Pennsylvania Avenue
Trip Plan
Aim to depart Scranton in the morning to make the most of the daylight for this 6-hour drive. With only one recommended stop, you can decide on the fly when you need to stretch your legs or refuel. The fuel cost is estimated at $58, so be sure to check your tank before leaving. Because it's a single-day drive, you have flexibility to adjust your timing. Pay attention to the transition from the Keystone Shortway, as the road type changes significantly.
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 162.3 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 3h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 239.9 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 71 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 162.3 miles or 3h 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monaca, 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 324.5 miles and 6h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 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 239.9 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 34 and 313.3 — 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
275 mi into trip|~5h 3m in|I 79
Merge onto I 79
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
312.3 mi into trip|~5h 43m in
Take the exit toward Cranberry, Pennsylvania Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 78-77
Toward Cranberry, Pennsylvania Turnpike
9
312.8 mi into trip|~5h 44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 19, PA 228: Cranberry, Mars
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 78
Toward US 19, PA 228: Cranberry, Mars
6
313.3 mi into trip|~5h 45m in|PA 228 / Mars Road
Merge onto PA 228 / Mars Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.74 one way
$103.48 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg114 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$57.26
$114.52
premium
$4.81
$61.43
$122.85
diesel
$4.80
$61.27
$122.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
97.4
1
$34.07
$15.58
Efficient EV
81.1
0
$28.39
$12.98
EV Truck/SUV
129.8
1
$45.43
$20.77
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
11:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Smoke
NW 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Monaca, PA
Morning
in Monaca on Sunday
Local time
11:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Smoke
0 mph0% chanceLive 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
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
6h 2m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with only 11% on highways. You'll spend the longest stretch, 239.9 miles, on the Keystone Shortway before transitioning to other roads. Expect a significant amount of driving on surface streets, particularly after leaving the Keystone Shortway and I-79. This means you'll likely encounter more traffic signals and varying speed limits.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 239.9 mi on Keystone Shortway.
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 around 34 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 324.5 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 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 275 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 312.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 2m. Total distance: 324.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 2m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 239.9 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 41 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.
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 Monaca, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 41 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 275 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 312.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Monaca, PA before the return drive.
