Origin
Lawson Heights, PA
Morning in Lawson Heights on Tuesday
Local time
6:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lawson Heights, PA to Pittsburgh, PA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lawson Heights, PA
Michael Taccetta
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lawson Heights, PA to Pittsburgh, PA is 43 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Penn-Lincoln Parkway East, Lincoln Highway, and Pennsylvania Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, suitable for a single-day trip. You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a practical option for getting between these two points. Expect a relatively quick transit time that won't consume your whole day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 13.2 mi | 18m |
| Lincoln Highway | 12.1 mi | 20m |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 10.7 mi | 11m |
| East Pittsburgh Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| East Otterman Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Tollgate Hill Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| State Route 981 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Second Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
— 13.2 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawson Heights, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
1
Start on Ridgeview Drive
478 ft
·
23 sec
·
Ridgeview Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto College Drive
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
College Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto PA 981
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
State Route 981
4
Turn right onto US 30
6.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Lincoln Highway
5
Continue on US 30
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Pittsburgh Street
6
Continue on East Pittsburgh Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
East Pittsburgh Street
Toward Greensburg Business District
7
Continue on PA 130
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Otterman Street
8
Turn straight onto Tollgate Hill Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Tollgate Hill Road
9
Turn left onto US 30
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Lincoln Highway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward PATP, I 76
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 76; PATP
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Pennsylvania Turnpike
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
2 min
Exit 57
Toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward US 22 Business, I 376 West, US 22 West: Monroeville, Pittsburgh
15
Keep slight right at fork
353 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
16
Merge onto I 376; US 22
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Use the slight left lane.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 71B
Toward Second Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn straight onto Second Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Second Avenue
19
At end of road, turn right onto Ross Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Ross Street
20
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
352 ft
·
10 sec
·
Fifth Avenue
21
Turn right onto Grant Street
513 ft
·
21 sec
·
Grant Street
Use the right lane.
22
Arrive at destination
Grant Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Lawson Heights, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 17.1 and 42.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
17.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 West: Pittsburgh
8
28.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroeville
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 57
Toward I 376 West, US 22: Pittsburgh, Monroevil...
7
29 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 376 West, US 22 West: Pittsburgh
7
42.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m 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
7
42.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
Grant Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.13 one way
$14.26 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.81 | $15.62 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.34 | $16.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.39
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(10.7 mi)
$1.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Pittsburgh, PA
Morning in Pittsburgh on Tuesday
Local time
6:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
21 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 6m 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 43-mile drive is about 57% highway, with the longest continuous stretch at 13.2 miles on the Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. You'll transition between highway cruising and surface roads, so be prepared for varying speed limits and traffic patterns. The Penn-Lincoln Parkway East segment will likely feel like a busy urban artery, while other portions might offer more local driving.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.2 mi on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43 miles you will encounter 13 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 17.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lawson Heights, PA and Pittsburgh, PA, road signs point toward Greensburg Business District, Patp and Monroeville.
Greensburg Business District
7.6 mi in
|
~12m
|
via East Pittsburgh Street
Patp
16.6 mi in
|
~29m
Monroeville
28.2 mi in
|
~42m
About the Cities
Starting in Lawson Heights, PA
Full guide →Arriving in Pittsburgh, PA
Full guide →Founded 1758
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
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 1h 6m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.2 miles on Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.39 in tolls one way, starting with Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 17.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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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