Origin
Monessen, PA
Morning in Monessen on Sunday
Local time
11:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monessen, PA to Pittsburgh, PA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
29 mi
47 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monessen, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 29-mile journey from Monessen, PA to Pittsburgh, PA takes approximately 52 minutes and is best suited as a day trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $5, this route offers a straightforward drive through the Northeast region. The majority of the drive utilizes major roadways, making it an efficient option for getting between these two Pennsylvania locations. You'll find this trip to be a convenient way to travel, especially if you're looking for a short, manageable drive within the state. Consider it a quick hop rather than a multi-day adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mon/Fayette Expressway | 8 mi | 8m |
| Brownsville Road Extension | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| Brownsville Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Saw Mill Run Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| McChain Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Provost Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Liberty Tunnels | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Mon/Fayette Expressway
— 8 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monessen, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.
1
Start on Marion Avenue
19 ft
·
1 sec
·
Marion Avenue
2
Turn slight right onto Grand Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
Grand Boulevard
3
Continue on 3rd Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto PA 906
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Donner Avenue
5
Continue on Donner Avenue
358 ft
·
7 sec
·
Donner Avenue
6
Turn slight right onto PA 906
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Schoonmaker Avenue
7
Turn right onto John K. Tener Memorial Bridge
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
John K. Tener Memorial Bridge
8
Turn right onto PA 88
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
PA 88
9
Continue on PA 88
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
10
Continue on PA 88
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Country Club Road
11
Turn left onto Coyle Curtin Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Coyle Curtin Road
12
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
13
Merge onto PA Tpke 43
8.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Mon/Fayette Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 48
Toward West Elizabeth, Finleyville
15
Turn left onto Finleyville Elrama Road
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Finleyville Elrama Road
16
Turn right onto McChain Road
70 ft
·
1 sec
·
McChain Road
17
Keep slight left at fork onto McChain Road
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
McChain Road
18
Turn straight onto Brownsville Road Extension
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Brownsville Road Extension
19
At end of road, turn left onto Brownsville Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Brownsville Road
Use the straight lane.
20
Turn left onto Brownsville Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Brownsville Road
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on Provost Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Provost Road
22
Continue on Provost Road
202 ft
·
7 sec
·
Provost Road
23
Turn left onto PA 51
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Saw Mill Run Boulevard
24
Continue on PA 51; Blue Belt
2.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Saw Mill Run Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
25
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Continue on this road
361 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
27
Turn right onto Liberty Tunnels
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Liberty Tunnels
Use the right lane.
28
Continue on Liberty Bridge
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Liberty Bridge
29
Turn straight onto Crosstown Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Crosstown Boulevard
30
Continue on Sixth Avenue
366 ft
·
16 sec
·
Sixth Avenue
31
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Fifth Avenue
32
Turn right onto Grant Street
513 ft
·
21 sec
·
Grant Street
Use the right lane.
33
Arrive at destination
Grant Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 28.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
PA 906 / Donner Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto PA 906 / Donner Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
13.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward West Elizabeth, Finleyville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 48
Toward West Elizabeth, Finleyville
6
20.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
Brownsville Road
At end of road, turn left onto Brownsville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
20.8 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Brownsville Road
Turn left onto Brownsville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
28.9 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Grant Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.81 one way
$9.62 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.27 | $10.53 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.62 | $11.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.40 | $12.81 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.56
Mon/Fayette Expressway
(8 mi)
$0.56
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.06 | $1.86 |
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.
Destination
Pittsburgh, PA
Morning in Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
11:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
17 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
52m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for much of this 29-mile trip. While 28% of the route is on highways, the personality of the drive shifts, incorporating local roads like Brownsville Road Extension and Brownsville Road. The longest stretch without a turn is 8 miles, found on the Mon/Fayette Expressway. This means you'll be navigating a mix of faster highway segments and more intricate local road conditions, requiring your attention. It's a drive that keeps you engaged with frequent changes in scenery and road type.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8 mi on Mon/Fayette Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near PA 906 / Donner Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 29 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (PA 906 / Donner Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.2 miles (Brownsville Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Monessen, PA and Pittsburgh, PA, road signs point toward Elizabeth and Finleyville.
Elizabeth
13.7 mi in
|
~20m
Finleyville
13.7 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Arriving in Pittsburgh, PA
Full guide →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.
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 52m. Total distance: 29 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8 miles on Mon/Fayette Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.56 in tolls one way, starting with Mon/Fayette Expressway. 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 1 miles (PA 906 / Donner Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.2 miles (Brownsville Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Pittsburgh, PA
More trips to Pittsburgh, PA
Explore more options from Monessen, PA or browse trips ending in Pittsburgh, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.