Monessen, PA to Ardara, PA is 28.3 miles and takes about 48m via Dwight D Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Northeast region and the state of Pennsylvania. Expect a local feel with plenty of turns, making it a less about covering ground quickly and more about navigating local roads. Given its brief duration, this trip is ideal for a single day, allowing for a relaxed pace and flexibility. It's a straightforward journey that won't eat up your entire day.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
10.9 mi
14m
Arona Road
3.3 mi
5m
State Route 136
2.2 mi
3m
Waltz Mill Road
2 mi
3m
Grand Boulevard
1.9 mi
4m
Water Street
1.7 mi
2m
Main Street
1.6 mi
2m
Lincoln Highway
1.5 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 10.9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monessen, PA and Ardara, PA.
1
Start on Marion Avenue
19 ft·6 sec·Marion Avenue
2
Turn left onto Grand Boulevard
1.9 mi·4 min·Grand Boulevard
3
Turn right onto SR 3003
0.1 mi·13 sec·Tyrol Boulevard
4
Continue on Tyrol Road
0.2 mi·24 sec·Tyrol Road
5
Continue on Monessen Highway
0.2 mi·20 sec·Monessen Highway
6
Continue on Main Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
8
Merge onto I 70
11 mi·14 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi·24 sec
Toward MadisonUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn sharp left onto Waltz Mill Road
0.2 mi·30 sec·Waltz Mill Road
11
Enter roundabout
182 ft·3 sec
12
Continue
212 ft·4 sec
13
Turn straight onto Waltz Mill Road
1.8 mi·3 min·Waltz Mill Road
14
Continue on Main Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Main Street
15
Continue on PA 136
2.2 mi·3 min·State Route 136
16
Turn left onto Arona Road
3.3 mi·5 min·Arona Road
17
At end of road, turn left onto US 30
1.5 mi·3 min·Lincoln Highway
Use the straight lane.
18
Take the exit
454 ft·12 sec
19
Turn straight onto 10th Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·10th Street
20
Continue on Chestnut Street
0.1 mi·19 sec·Chestnut Street
21
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.1 mi·19 sec·Pennsylvania Avenue
22
Turn right onto Oak Street
0.4 mi·42 sec·Oak Street
23
Turn left onto PA 993
364 ft·9 sec·2nd Street
24
Turn right onto PA 993
380 ft·12 sec·Main Street
25
Turn left onto PA 993
1.7 mi·2 min·Water Street
26
Continue on PA 993
1.1 mi·1 min·Trafford Road
27
Turn right onto Haywood Road
393 ft·24 sec·Haywood Road
28
Turn left onto Mary Street
426 ft·20 sec·Mary Street
29
Turn right onto Virginia Avenue
199 ft·8 sec·Virginia Avenue
30
Arrive at destination
Virginia Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 22.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.1 mi into trip|~7m in|I 70 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Merge onto I 70 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.1 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the exit toward Madison
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Madison
5
14.2 mi into trip|~22m in|Waltz Mill Road
Turn sharp left onto Waltz Mill Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
14.4 mi into trip|~22m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
22.8 mi into trip|~36m in|US 30 / Lincoln Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 30 / Lincoln Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.98 one way
$9.96 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg10 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.89
$5.45
$10.89
premium
$5.23
$5.82
$11.65
diesel
$6.18
$6.88
$13.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 70% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
8.5
0
$2.97
$1.36
Efficient EV
7.1
0
$2.48
$1.13
EV Truck/SUV
11.3
0
$3.96
$1.81
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Monessen, PA
Afternoon
in Monessen on Sunday
Local time
1:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Sunny
N 9 to 14 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 7:47AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:10AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Ardara, PA
Afternoon
in Ardara on Sunday
Local time
1:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°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
9 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
48m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments rather than cruising on a straight path. With only an 8% highway share, most of your time will be spent on local roads like Arona Road and State Route 136. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.9 miles on the Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience where you're constantly engaged with the road and its changes, rather than settling into a monotonous interstate rhythm.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.9 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
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 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in near I 70 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
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 28.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 3.1 miles (I 70 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.2 miles (Waltz Mill Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,167 ft868 ft
Total Climb
704 ft
Total Descent
865 ft
Highest Point
1,167 ft
~20.2 mi in
Elevation Range
299 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Monessen, PA to Ardara, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Madison along the way.
Madison
14.1 mi in|~21m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 28.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.9 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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: at 3.1 miles (I 70 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.2 miles (Waltz Mill Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Yes — Fort Necessity National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ardara, PA before heading back.
