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Trip from Economy, 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

Distance

122.9 mi

198 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 52m ★
6 AM
2h 1m
8 AM
2h 18m
10 AM
2h 7m
12 PM
2h 5m
3 PM
2h 8m
5 PM
2h 17m
8 PM
1h 56m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Economy, PA, PA

Economy, PA

Patricia Bozan

Downtown Erie, PA, PA

Erie, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 122.9-mile drive from Economy, PA, to Erie, PA, is a straightforward 2-hour journey, perfect for a single day trip. You'll navigate primarily local roads, with a 0% highway share, making it a more intimate travel experience. The estimated fuel cost is around $20, which is quite economical for the distance covered. This route is characterized by frequent turns, so keep your attention on the road. Given its short duration, you have plenty of flexibility to depart when you're ready and enjoy a relaxed pace.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

61.5 miles from Economy, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Lenz Avenue — —
17th Street — —
Duss Avenue — —
14th Street — —
Merchant Street — —
Ohio River Boulevard — —
Crows Run Road — —
Freedom Crider Road — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Lenz Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Economy, PA and Erie, PA.

1

Start on the route

46 ft · 9 sec · the route
2

Turn left onto Lenz Avenue

121 ft · 7 sec · Lenz Avenue
3

Turn right onto 17th Street

354 ft · 21 sec · 17th Street
4

Turn left onto Duss Avenue

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Duss Avenue
5

Turn right onto 14th Street

0.2 mi · 58 sec · 14th Street
6

Turn right onto Merchant Street

0.4 mi · 57 sec · Merchant Street
7

Turn right onto Ohio River Boulevard

4.9 mi · 5 min · Ohio River Boulevard
8

Turn right onto Crows Run Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · Crows Run Road
9

Continue on Freedom Crider Road

2.0 mi · 2 min · Freedom Crider Road
10

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Freedom Crider Road

102 ft · 2 sec · Freedom Crider Road
11

Exit the roundabout onto Freedom Crider Road

2.4 mi · 3 min · Freedom Crider Road
12

Continue on Freedom Road

2.5 mi · 4 min · Freedom Road
13

Continue on Mars Road

0.4 mi · 46 sec · Mars Road
14

Take the exit straight toward I 79: Erie

0.3 mi · 1 min · I 79: Erie
15

Merge slight left

104 mi · 1 hr 52 min
16

Take the exit slight right toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
17

Turn right onto West 12th Street

2.3 mi · 4 min · West 12th Street
18

Turn left onto State Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · State Street
19

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

With a 2-hour duration and a $20 fuel cost, this trip from Economy to Erie offers significant flexibility. You can depart whenever it suits your schedule, as there's no need to split the drive over multiple days. Since it's a local, turn-heavy route, plan for a slightly longer actual travel time than the estimated 2 hours, especially if you're unfamiliar with the area. Keep an eye on your navigation system for the frequent turns; a specific tip would be to ensure your GPS is fully charged or you have a reliable map handy, as relying solely on road signs might be challenging with this many directional changes.

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 61.5 miles from Economy, PA, or about 1h into the drive.

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 27 miles or 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 61.5 miles or 1h in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 39m

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 Economy, 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 Economy, PA

This is one driving day of about 122.9 miles and 2h.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Economy, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

borough in counties Lawrence, and Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ellwood City, PA

61 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.

Popular next leg

Ellwood City, PA to Erie, PA

100.4 mi · 1h 59m

Pacing Suggestions

Valencia, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ellwood City, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 61.5 miles from Economy, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Rainbow Valley Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour $10 to $20 mile 70.2

Hadley, Pennsylvania

Hours: 7 am–7 pm

+17242532208

Visit website

Camelot Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour $1 to $10 mile 43.9

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Hours: 5 am–3 pm

+17247945005

Visit website

Valenza Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.8

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+18147241222

Visit website

The Factory Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~11 min detour

4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour $10 to $20 mile 87.8

Saegertown, Pennsylvania

Hours: 6 am–1:30 pm

+18147633517

Visit website

Bicentennial Tower

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 122.9

Erie, Pennsylvania

Hours: Closed

+18144347376

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.38 one way

$40.75 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 43 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $22.32 $44.63
premium $4.93 $23.83 $47.67
diesel $5.61 $27.13 $54.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 43 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 36.9 0 $12.90 $5.90
Efficient EV 30.7 0 $10.75 $4.92
EV Truck/SUV 49.2 0 $17.21 $7.87

Gas CO2

43 kg

EV CO2

14 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Economy, PA

Late night in Economy on Sunday

Local time

12:40 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Erie, PA

Late night in Erie on Sunday

Local time

12:40 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

11 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

2h 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 turn-heavy local drive for the entire 122.9 miles, as this route has a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the profile suggests you'll be actively steering and navigating through various local roads like Lenz Avenue, 17th Street, and Duss Avenue. This isn't a high-speed interstate cruise; instead, you'll be engaging with the landscape more directly, likely passing through smaller communities and varied terrain. The constant adjustments will keep you connected to the driving experience.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Lenz Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Economy, PA to Erie, PA is easy. At 2h with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Economy, PA to Erie, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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. Total distance: 122.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Economy, PA to Erie, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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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