City of Scranton, PA to Oakwood, PA is 297.2 miles and takes about 5h 36m via Keystone Shortway, with a fuel budget near $48 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll spend most of your time on surface roads, making it a more relaxed pace than a full interstate cruise. With only one recommended stop and a single day needed, this route is ideal for a straightforward transit or a leisurely drive if you have extra time.
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
148.6 miles from City of Scranton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
243.9 mi
4h 22m
American Legion Memorial Highway
32.7 mi
39m
Mercer-New Wilmington Road
6.3 mi
8m
Beaver Valley Expressway
3.7 mi
3m
South New Castle Street
2.4 mi
4m
Steingrabe Road
1.2 mi
1m
Glen Road
1.1 mi
2m
River Street
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 243.9 mi, about 4h 22m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,094 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,455
Quietest
2 AM
~184 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 Oakwood, 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
244 mi·4 hr 22 min·Keystone Shortway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 15Toward US 19: Mercer
9
Keep slight right at fork
240 ft·7 sec
10
Turn straight onto US 19
0.1 mi·19 sec·South Erie Street
11
Turn left onto Steingrabe Road
1.2 mi·1 min·Steingrabe Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto PA 158
6.3 mi·8 min·Mercer-New Wilmington Road
13
Continue on PA 158
0.8 mi·1 min·North Market Street
14
Turn right onto Beechwood Road
0.2 mi·40 sec·Beechwood Road
15
Turn left onto PA 158
2.4 mi·4 min·South New Castle Street
16
At end of road, turn left onto PA 18
0.8 mi·1 min·PA 18
17
Turn right onto Glen Road
1.1 mi·2 min·Glen Road
18
Turn right onto Mitchell Road
460 ft·8 sec·Mitchell Road
19
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·51 sec
20
Merge onto I 376
3.7 mi·3 min·Beaver Valley Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 13Toward US 224: State Street, PolandUse the slight right lane.
22
Keep slight left at fork
190 ft·6 sec
23
Turn left onto US 224
0.7 mi·1 min·West State Street
24
Turn left onto Lower Idlewild Drive
0.2 mi·56 sec·Lower Idlewild Drive
25
Turn right onto Burns Street
0.1 mi·34 sec·Burns Street
26
Turn right onto Avalon Drive
468 ft·20 sec·Avalon Drive
27
Arrive at destination
Avalon Drive
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour drive, leaving in the morning will give you ample time to reach Oakwood, PA before evening. Since the longest stretch on the Keystone Shortway is 243.9 miles, plan your fuel stop before you hit that segment, as gas stations might be less frequent. With only one recommended stop and a mostly surface road profile, you can be flexible with your timing. Consider breaking up the drive with a short break in a town along the American Legion Memorial Highway to stretch your legs and grab a snack.
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 148.6 miles from City of Scranton, PA, or about 2h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 243.9 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 65 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 148.6 miles or 2h 46m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oakwood, 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 297.2 miles and 5h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 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 243.9 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 34 and 295.7 — 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
278.6 mi into trip|~5h 6m in
Take the exit toward US 19: Mercer
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 15
Toward US 19: Mercer
5
278.8 mi into trip|~5h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
279 mi into trip|~5h 7m in|Steingrabe Road
Turn left onto Steingrabe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
295.7 mi into trip|~5h 32m in
Take the exit toward US 224: State Street, Poland
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 13
Toward US 224: State Street, Poland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.39 one way
$94.78 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg104 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$52.44
$104.89
premium
$4.81
$56.26
$112.51
diesel
$4.80
$56.12
$112.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 104 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
89.2
1
$31.21
$14.27
Efficient EV
74.3
0
$26.01
$11.89
EV Truck/SUV
118.9
1
$41.61
$19.02
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 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 17, 2026
Origin
City of Scranton, PA
Morning
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
11:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 3:59PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Oakwood, PA
Morning
in Oakwood on Sunday
Local time
11:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Smoke
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 3:59PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 17 at 1:40PM EDT until July 19 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
83°F
Clearfield, PA
149 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 36m 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 route is mostly surface roads, with only a small portion on highways. You'll encounter 243.9 miles on the Keystone Shortway, which will likely feel like continuous cruising. After that, expect the scenery and pace to change as you transition to local roads like the American Legion Memorial Highway and Mercer-New Wilmington Road. The high percentage of surface roads suggests you'll be passing through towns and varied terrain rather than exclusively high-speed highway.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 243.9 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 20 significant decision points across 297.2 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 278.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 278.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 36m. Total distance: 297.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 243.9 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 36 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 Oakwood, 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 36 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 278.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 278.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Oakwood, PA before the return drive.
