Origin
Clairton, PA
Late night in Clairton on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clairton, PA to Erie, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 55m
Distance
142.1 mi
229 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 45m
★
6 AM
2h 56m
8 AM
3h 18m
10 AM
3h 4m
12 PM
3h 1m
3 PM
3h 5m
5 PM
3h 17m
8 PM
2h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clairton, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 142.1-mile drive from Clairton, PA, to Erie, PA, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in under 3 hours. Designed as a highway-focused route, it's perfect for a single-day excursion, so you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You'll primarily be on I-79, with a portion of the Parkway North and PA 837 to get you started. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $24, making it an economical option. This drive is a solid choice if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two points within Pennsylvania.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71 miles from Clairton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 79 | 111.2 mi | 2h |
| Parkway North | 11.6 mi | 16m |
| PA 837 | 3.4 mi | 7m |
| State Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Mifflin Road | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| West 12th Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Clairton Dravosburg Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Pittsburgh McKeesport Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 79
— 111.2 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clairton, PA and Erie, PA.
1
Start on 3rd Street
43 ft
·
4 sec
·
3rd Street
2
Turn left onto Saint Clair Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint Clair Avenue
3
Turn left onto PA 837
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
State Street
4
Turn right onto PA 837
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Clairton Dravosburg Road
5
Turn left onto Curry Hollow Road
180 ft
·
5 sec
·
Curry Hollow Road
6
Continue on Elizabeth Road
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Elizabeth Road
7
Turn right onto Maple Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Maple Avenue
8
Turn sharp right
384 ft
·
14 sec
9
Turn straight onto Yellow Belt
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
·
Richland Avenue
10
Continue on Yellow Belt
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Pittsburgh McKeesport Boulevard
11
Turn right onto Buttermilk Hollow Road
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Buttermilk Hollow Road
12
Continue on Mifflin Road
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Mifflin Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn slight right
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Toward PA 837 North: Carson Street
14
Continue on PA 837; Blue Belt
3.4 mi
·
7 min
·
PA 837; Blue Belt
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn slight right
152 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
16
Turn straight onto Birmingham Bridge
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Birmingham Bridge
17
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Fifth Avenue
18
Turn right onto Washington Place
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Washington Place
19
Turn slight right onto Bigelow Boulevard
305 ft
·
7 sec
·
Bigelow Boulevard
20
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 579: Veterans Bridge
21
Merge onto I 579
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Bridge
22
Continue on I 279
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Parkway North
23
Merge onto I 79
111 mi
·
2 hr
·
I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 183A
Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
25
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Turn left onto State Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
Use the left lane.
27
Arrive at destination
State Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2-hour and 55-minute duration, it's best to get an early start to maximize your daylight hours, especially if you plan any brief stops. The single longest stretch of 111.2 miles on I-79 means you'll want to ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on this segment. Consider planning your only significant stop around the halfway point or just before merging onto I-79 to break up the drive. With a fuel cost estimate of $24, keeping an eye on your fuel gauge is a simple way to manage your budget on this direct route.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71 miles from Clairton, PA, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 111.2 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 31 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71 miles or 1h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Erie, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clairton, 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 Clairton, PA
This is one driving day of about 142.1 miles and 2h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Clairton, 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 I 79 for about 111.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
71 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 71 miles from Clairton, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 79 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 111.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 141.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Turn sharp right
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
27.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
I 79
Merge onto I 79
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
139.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 48m in
Take the exit toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 183A
Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
5
139.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 49m in
|
PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290 / West 12th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
141.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 54m in
|
State Street
Turn left onto State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.56 one way
$47.12 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
50 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $25.80 | $51.60 |
| premium | $4.93 | $27.56 | $55.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $31.37 | $62.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 49.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 42.6 | 0 | $14.92 | $6.82 |
| Efficient EV | 35.5 | 0 | $12.43 | $5.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 56.8 | 0 | $19.89 | $9.09 |
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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
Erie, PA
Late night in Erie on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live 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
14 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
2h 55m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a drive that is heavily influenced by highway travel, with 89% of the journey on high-speed roads. The bulk of your time will be spent on I-79, where you'll encounter an uninterrupted stretch of 111.2 miles. This means you'll experience consistent driving speeds for significant portions of the trip. While the focus is on efficiency, the route does incorporate some initial travel on PA 837 and the Parkway North before merging onto the main interstate.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 111.2 mi on I 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and Parkway North. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 142.1 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 27.9 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 139.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Erie, PA
Full guide →Erie is a city of about 100,000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It is Pennsylvania's only lake port on the Great Lakes (Lake Erie).
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 2h 55m. Total distance: 142.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 111.2 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Erie, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 27.9 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 139.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Erie, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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