Origin
Freedom, PA
Late night in Freedom on Sunday
Local time
12:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Freedom, 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 16m
Distance
116.8 mi
188 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 7m
★
6 AM
2h 17m
8 AM
2h 36m
10 AM
2h 23m
12 PM
2h 22m
3 PM
2h 24m
5 PM
2h 35m
8 PM
2h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Freedom, PA
Lisa from Pexels
Erie, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embarking on a journey from Freedom, PA, to Erie, PA, covers 116.8 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 16 minutes. This drive is best suited as a single-day trip, given its manageable distance and duration. You'll spend most of your time on Interstate 79, making it a straightforward highway-focused experience. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $19. Since both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, you'll be navigating familiar territory throughout your trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.4 miles from Freedom, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 79 | 104.5 mi | 1h 52m |
| Freedom Crider Road | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| Freedom Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| West 12th Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| 9th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lovi Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| State Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Mars Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 79
— 104.5 mi, about 1h 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Freedom, PA and Erie, PA.
1
Start on 6th Avenue
11 ft
·
7 sec
·
6th Avenue
2
Turn left onto 9th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Street
3
Continue on Lovi Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lovi Road
4
Keep slight right at fork onto Freedom Crider Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Freedom Crider Road
5
Enter roundabout onto Freedom Crider Road
102 ft
·
1 sec
·
Freedom Crider Road
6
Continue on Freedom Crider Road
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Freedom Crider Road
7
Continue on Freedom Road
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Freedom Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on PA 228
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
Mars Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 79: Erie
10
Merge onto I 79
104 mi
·
1 hr 52 min
·
I 79
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 183A
Toward PA 5 East, PA 290 East: 12th Street
12
Turn right onto PA 5; PA 290
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West 12th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto State Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
State Street
Trip Plan
For this relatively short 116.8-mile drive, you have the flexibility to depart at a time that suits you best. Since the total duration is just over two hours, you likely won't need extensive rest stops, but planning for one break is always a good idea. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 104.5-mile stretch on I-79, as services might be less frequent. The estimated fuel cost of $19 means you can budget accordingly. Consider leaving a bit earlier in the morning to enjoy cooler temperatures and lighter traffic.
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 58.4 miles from Freedom, PA, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.5 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 26 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.4 miles or 1h 10m 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 50m
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 Freedom, 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 Freedom, PA
This is one driving day of about 116.8 miles and 2h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Freedom, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 79 for about 104.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
58 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 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 58.4 miles from Freedom, 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 104.5 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 116.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
9th Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
5
9.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 79
Merge onto I 79
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
113.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 9m 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
114.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 10m 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
116.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 15m in
|
State Street
Turn left onto State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.36 one way
$38.73 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
41 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $21.21 | $42.42 |
| premium | $4.93 | $22.65 | $45.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.79 | $51.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35 | 0 | $12.26 | $5.61 |
| Efficient EV | 29.2 | 0 | $10.22 | $4.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 46.7 | 0 | $16.35 | $7.48 |
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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
12:19 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 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 16m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 89% of the journey taking place on interstates. You can expect long stretches of consistent speed, including one uninterrupted segment of 104.5 miles on I-79. While the majority of the route is on high-speed roadways like I-79, you'll also encounter some local roads, including Freedom Crider Road and Freedom Road, at the beginning of your trip. This blend means you'll experience the efficiency of highway travel interspersed with brief moments on more local thoroughfares.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104.5 mi on I 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and Freedom Crider Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 16m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 113.8 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 16m. Total distance: 116.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 104.5 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles (I 79): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 113.8 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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