Lenape Heights, PA to City of Scranton, PA is 258 miles and takes about 5h 3m via Keystone Shortway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, offering a straightforward drive. Given its single-day recommendation and manageable duration, it's a practical option for a quick hop between locations. You'll primarily be on surface roads, so plan for a more relaxed pace than a pure interstate run.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
129 miles from Lenape Heights, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
180.6 mi
3h 15m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
PA 66
21 mi
30m
Brookville Street
19.1 mi
29m
Main Street
2 mi
2m
River Street
1 mi
1m
PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi
<1m
Chaplin Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 180.6 mi, about 3h 15m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,076 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,513
Quietest
2 AM
~191 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Lenape Heights, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on this road
248 ft·19 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto T652
0.1 mi·27 sec·Craig Street
3
Continue on T511
0.4 mi·1 min·Chaplin Avenue
4
At end of road, turn right onto PA 66
2.0 mi·2 min·Main Street
5
Take the exit onto PA 66
0.3 mi·39 sec·PA 66
6
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 66
21 mi·29 min·PA 66
7
Continue on PA 28
19 mi·29 min·Brookville Street
8
Take the ramp onto PA 28 Truck
0.4 mi·46 sec·PA 28 Truck
9
Merge onto I 80; PA 28 Truck
181 mi·3 hr 15 min·Keystone Shortway
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
11
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
13
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
14
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5-hour drive, consider departing early in the morning to maximize daylight. With only one recommended stop and a 180.6-mile stretch on the Keystone Shortway, you can comfortably cover a large portion of the distance before needing a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $43, and plan your refueling accordingly, especially before heading onto the more rural sections. Since this is a day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your timing or make an unplanned stop if needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 129 miles from Lenape Heights, PA, or about 2h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 180.6 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 57 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 129 miles or 2h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lenape Heights, 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 Lenape Heights, PA
This is one driving day of about 258 miles and 5h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Lenape Heights, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Keystone Shortway for about 180.6 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 0 and 257.8 — 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|T652 / Craig Street
Turn right onto T652 / Craig Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip|~2m in|PA 66 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto PA 66 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.8 mi into trip|~5m in|PA 66
Keep slight left at fork onto PA 66
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
223.6 mi into trip|~4h 19m in
Take the exit toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 260B
Toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
7
257.8 mi into trip|~5h 3m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.06 one way
$90.12 round trip
$4.44/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$49.33
$98.67
premium
$5.20
$52.78
$105.56
diesel
$6.28
$63.75
$127.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 90.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
77.4
0
$27.09
$12.38
Efficient EV
64.5
0
$22.58
$10.32
EV Truck/SUV
103.2
1
$36.12
$16.51
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Lenape Heights, PA
Afternoon
in Lenape Heights on Saturday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Patchy Fog then Sunny
N 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in City of Scranton on Saturday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
N 0 to 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 10:42PM EDT until October 19 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS State College PA
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
2 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
5h 3m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 route features a significant portion on surface roads, with only 21% of the drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a main road, the Keystone Shortway, extends for 180.6 miles. Expect to transition from highway cruising to navigating more local roads, which can mean more traffic signals and varied speed limits as you get closer to Scranton.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 180.6 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
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 early in the drive near T652 / Craig Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 258 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: near the start (T652 / Craig Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (PA 66 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (PA 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 3m. Total distance: 258 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 180.6 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (T652 / Craig Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (PA 66 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (PA 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at City of Scranton, PA before the return drive.
