Origin
Ford City, PA
Morning in Ford City on Sunday
Local time
11:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ford City, PA to Pittsburgh, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
40 mi
64 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ford City, PA
Victor Miyata
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 40-mile drive from Ford City, PA to Pittsburgh, PA is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in under an hour. With 77% of the journey on highways, it’s a quick connection between the Northeast regions of Pennsylvania. The estimated fuel cost is around $7, making it an economical option for a day trip. You won't need to worry about overnight stays for this short haul; it's designed for maximum efficiency. Expect a functional drive that gets you where you need to go without many detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny Valley Expressway | 30.7 mi | 40m |
| Cadogan Slate Lick Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| 5th Avenue | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| 4th Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Prospect Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Freeport Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Veterans Bridge | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Allegheny Valley Expressway
— 30.7 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ford City, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
1
Start on 4th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
4th Avenue
2
Turn straight onto PA 128
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
5th Avenue
3
Continue on PA 128
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Prospect Avenue
4
Turn right onto PA 128
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Main Street
5
Continue on PA 128
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Cadogan Slate Lick Road
6
Turn left onto PA 128
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Freeport Road
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
8
Merge onto PA 28
31 mi
·
40 min
·
Allegheny Valley Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
181 ft
·
4 sec
Exit 1A
Toward I 579 South, I 279 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville, Fort Pitt Bridge, Airport
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 579
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Veterans Bridge
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
502 ft
·
14 sec
Toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue
14
Turn straight onto Bigelow Boulevard
224 ft
·
3 sec
·
Bigelow Boulevard
15
Continue on Bigelow Square
386 ft
·
6 sec
·
Bigelow Square
Toward 6th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Turn right onto Sixth Avenue
347 ft
·
11 sec
·
Sixth Avenue
17
Turn left onto Grant Street
296 ft
·
22 sec
·
Grant Street
18
Continue on Grant Street
254 ft
·
13 sec
·
Grant Street
19
Arrive at destination
Grant Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20 miles from Ford City, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 8 and 39.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway
Merge onto PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
38.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward I 579 South, I 279 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville, Fort Pitt Bridge, Airport
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 1A
Toward I 579 South, I 279 South: Veterans Bridg...
9
38.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroeville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 579 South: Veterans Bridge, Monroevill...
7
39.3 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward PPG Arena, 6th Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.63 one way
$13.26 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.26 | $14.53 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.76 | $15.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.83 | $17.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.60 | $2.56 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Pittsburgh, PA
Morning in Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
11:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
59m 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?
Primarily a highway-focused experience, this route features a significant 77% share of its mileage on faster roads. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Allegheny Valley Expressway, including a continuous stretch of 30.7 miles. While Cadogan Slate Lick Road and 5th Avenue will introduce some local road segments, the overall personality is geared towards efficient travel rather than leisurely sightseeing. The transition from expressway to city approach is the main change in character you'll notice.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.7 mi on Allegheny Valley Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Allegheny Valley Expressway and Cadogan Slate Lick Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8 miles in near PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 40 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8 miles (PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Pittsburgh, PA
Full guide →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.
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 59m. Total distance: 40 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.7 miles on Allegheny Valley Expressway. 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 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 8 miles (PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pittsburgh, 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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