Milton, PA to the City of Scranton, PA is 82.3 miles and takes about 1h 39m via Keystone Shortway and I-81, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The route is a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, offering a straightforward drive. With its manageable distance and duration, this is a solid option for a same-day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.2 miles from Milton, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Keystone Shortway
44.1 mi
48m
I 81
32.4 mi
39m
Broadway Road
2.4 mi
4m
River Street
1 mi
1m
South Turbot Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Broadway Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Mahoning Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Keystone Shortway
— 44.1 mi, about 48m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,252 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,796
Quietest
2 AM
~206 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.1×
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 Milton, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on PA 642
66 ft·10 sec·Mahoning Street
2
Turn left onto South Turbot Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South Turbot Avenue
3
Turn right onto PA 254
0.4 mi·44 sec·Broadway Street
4
Continue on PA 254
2.4 mi·4 min·Broadway Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
6
Merge onto I 80
44 mi·48 min·Keystone Shortway
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 260BToward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
8
Merge onto I 81
32 mi·39 min·I 81
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
10
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
Given this drive is under two hours, you can easily complete it in a single day. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid peak rush hour traffic in either direction. Since it's a shorter trip, you don't need to plan for extensive stops, though a quick fuel top-off before you leave Milton might be wise as the fuel cost is estimated at $13. Pay attention to road signs as you transition from the Keystone Shortway to I-81, and again when exiting the interstate for the final stretch into Scranton.
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 41.2 miles from Milton, PA, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.1 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.2 miles or 48m 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 23m
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 Milton, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Milton, PA
This is one driving day of about 82.3 miles and 1h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Milton, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Keystone Shortway for about 44.1 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 82.1 — 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|South Turbot Avenue
Turn left onto South Turbot Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|PA 254 / Broadway Street
Turn right onto PA 254 / Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
5
47.9 mi into trip|~55m 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
4
81 mi into trip|~1h 36m in
Take the exit toward PA 307
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward PA 307
7
82.1 mi into trip|~1h 39m 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
$13.43 one way
$26.85 round trip
$4.14/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.56
$14.77
$29.53
premium
$4.86
$15.76
$31.51
diesel
$5.40
$17.51
$35.01
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.7
0
$8.64
$3.95
Efficient EV
20.6
0
$7.20
$3.29
EV Truck/SUV
32.9
0
$11.52
$5.27
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Forecast as of Apr 25, 2026
Origin
Milton, PA
Afternoon
in Milton on Sunday
Local time
12:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Afternoon
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
12:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Rain Showers
SE 10 mph100% chanceLive 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
12 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 39m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 39% of this 82.3-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 44.1 miles, likely on the Keystone Shortway. After that, expect to transition to surface roads, including sections of Broadway Road. This means you'll experience a change in pace from faster highway travel to more local road conditions as you approach your destination.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.1 mi on Keystone Shortway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Turbot Avenue.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Milton, PA to City of Scranton, PA is easy. At 1h 39m with 39% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Turbot Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (PA 254 / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 39m. Total distance: 82.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 44.1 miles on Keystone Shortway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 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.
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: near the start (South Turbot Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (PA 254 / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Scranton, PA before heading back.
