Ferndale, PA to Pittsburgh, PA is 69.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 48 minutes via William Penn Highway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, primarily utilizing surface roads. It's a manageable trip, perfect for a single day, offering a straightforward transit between these two points. If you're looking for a simple, direct connection without extensive highway time, this route fits the bill.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
34.8 miles from Ferndale, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
William Penn Highway
40 mi
59m
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
13.5 mi
18m
Harold Avenue
9.1 mi
14m
Broad Street
1.2 mi
3m
Napoleon Street
0.8 mi
1m
Roosevelt Boulevard
0.7 mi
1m
Horner Street
0.7 mi
1m
Central Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
William Penn Highway
— 40 mi, about 59m
Traffic on I-376
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,320 veh/hr typical
Quietest
3 AM
~202 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.4×
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 Ferndale, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
1
Start on PA 403
0.4 mi·45 sec·Ferndale Avenue
2
Continue on PA 403
0.3 mi·37 sec·Bridge Street
3
Continue on PA 403
0.7 mi·1 min·Central Avenue
4
Continue on Horner Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Horner Street
5
Turn left onto Hickory Street
0.2 mi·18 sec·Hickory Street
6
Turn slight right onto PA 403
0.8 mi·1 min·Napoleon Street
7
Turn slight right onto PA 56; PA 403
0.3 mi·38 sec·Johns Street
8
Continue on PA 56; PA 403
0.7 mi·1 min·Roosevelt Boulevard
9
Turn left onto PA 56; PA 403
1.2 mi·3 min·Broad Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto Laurel Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Laurel Avenue
11
At end of road, turn right onto PA 56
0.3 mi·58 sec·Strayer Street
12
Continue on PA 56
9.1 mi·14 min·Harold Avenue
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward US 22 West: Blairsville
14
Merge onto US 22
40 mi·59 min·William Penn Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22
13 mi·18 min·Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: PittsburghUse the slight left lane.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Exit 71BToward Second AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn straight onto Second Avenue
0.3 mi·41 sec·Second Avenue
18
At end of road, turn right onto Ross Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·Ross Street
19
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
352 ft·10 sec·Fifth Avenue
20
Turn right onto Grant Street
513 ft·21 sec·Grant Street
Use the right lane.
21
Arrive at destination
Grant Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of about 1 hour 48 minutes, this route offers flexibility for departure time. You could easily leave in the morning and arrive well before lunch, or depart in the afternoon to avoid peak traffic. With a fuel cost estimated at $11, it's an economical trip. There are no specific recommended stops, so you can plan your own breaks as needed. Be prepared for the change in road type as you transition from William Penn Highway onto more urban parkways and surface streets closer to Pittsburgh.
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 34.8 miles from Ferndale, PA, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40 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 15 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 34.8 miles or 57m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pittsburgh, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ferndale, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ferndale, PA
This is one driving day of about 69.6 miles and 1h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Ferndale, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on William Penn Highway for about 40 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 15.1 and 69.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.1 mi into trip|~27m in
Take the exit toward US 22 West: Blairsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 22 West: Blairsville
8
55.3 mi into trip|~1h 27m in|I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Keep slight right at fork onto I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
7
68.8 mi into trip|~1h 46m in
Take the exit toward Second Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 71B
Toward Second Avenue
6
69.3 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|Ross Street
At end of road, turn right onto Ross Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
69.5 mi into trip|~1h 48m in|Grant Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.36 one way
$22.71 round trip
$4.14/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.56
$12.49
$24.97
premium
$4.86
$13.33
$26.65
diesel
$5.40
$14.81
$29.61
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.9
0
$7.31
$3.34
Efficient EV
17.4
0
$6.09
$2.78
EV Truck/SUV
27.8
0
$9.74
$4.45
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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 26, 2026
Origin
Ferndale, PA
Afternoon
in Ferndale on Sunday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Pittsburgh, PA
Afternoon
in Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
1:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
38°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
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
1h 48m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is mostly surface roads, with only 19% on highways. You'll encounter the longest stretch of continuous driving on William Penn Highway for about 40 miles. Expect to navigate through more developed areas with frequent intersections and traffic lights as you approach Pittsburgh, transitioning from the more open feel of William Penn Highway. The final segment includes the Penn-Lincoln Parkway East and Harold Avenue as you enter the city.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40 mi on William Penn Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 15.1 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 69.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 15.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 55.3 miles (I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The pleasure of Pittsburgh remains a well-kept secret. Though not built up by reputation, the city's unique combination of bridges, steep hills, and broad rivers make it one of the most naturally scenic cities in the country. Cheap food and beer abound in this true sports town and the locals are amazingly friendly. A city of about 303,000 (2021) in Allegheny County, at the center of a metro area of about 2.4 million in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is situated at the confluence of three rivers: the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city's unique terrain has resulted in an unusual city design and a hodge-podge of unique neighborhood "pockets" with diverse ethnic and architectural heritage.
Top landmarks
•Carnegie Museum of Natural History — natural history museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
•Allegheny Observatory — historic observatory of the University of Pittsburgh
•Carnegie Museum of Art — museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 48m. Total distance: 69.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 40 miles on William Penn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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 Pittsburgh, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 55.3 miles (I 376; US 22 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pittsburgh, PA before heading back.
