Origin
Pittsburgh, PA
Morning in Pittsburgh on Tuesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Nixon, 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
48m
Distance
26.7 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Nixon, PA
Florian Lisi
Trip Overview
This 26.7-mile drive from Pittsburgh to Nixon, Pennsylvania, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in under an hour, around 48 minutes. Given its short duration and the fact that both locations are within the Northeast region of the US, it's perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily be navigating via the William Flinn Highway, Pittsburgh Road, and the Allegheny Valley Expressway. Budget approximately $4 for fuel, as this route is more of a local exploration than a long-haul journey. It's a straightforward drive that won't demand an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Flinn Highway | 12.6 mi | 24m |
| Pittsburgh Road | 7.8 mi | 12m |
| Allegheny Valley Expressway | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Butler Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Veterans Bridge | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Bigelow Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Bigelow Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Sixth Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
William Flinn Highway
— 12.6 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Nixon, PA.
1
Start on Grant Street
45 ft
·
5 sec
·
Grant Street
2
Turn right onto Sixth Avenue
309 ft
·
10 sec
·
Sixth Avenue
3
Turn left onto Bigelow Square
365 ft
·
8 sec
·
Bigelow Square
4
Continue on Bigelow Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Bigelow Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 579: Veterans Bridge
6
Merge onto I 579
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Veterans Bridge
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward PA 28: Etna
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto PA 28
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Allegheny Valley Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5B
Toward PA 8 North: Butler
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto PA 8
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
William Flinn Highway
11
Continue on PA 8
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Butler Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on PA 8
12 mi
·
23 min
·
William Flinn Highway
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on PA 8
7.8 mi
·
12 min
·
Pittsburgh Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right
142 ft
·
10 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 5.2 — 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
|
Sixth Avenue
Turn right onto Sixth Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Bigelow Square
Turn left onto Bigelow Square
Navigation decision point
6
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward PA 28: Etna
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward PA 28: Etna
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway
Merge onto PA 28 / Allegheny Valley Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward PA 8 North: Butler
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 5B
Toward PA 8 North: Butler
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.43 one way
$8.85 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.85 | $9.70 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.18 | $10.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.90 | $11.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Nixon, PA
Morning in Nixon on Tuesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
27 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
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 this 26.7-mile journey. While only 15% of the route involves highway driving, it's not a monotonous stretch. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 12.6 miles along the William Flinn Highway. This suggests a route that balances quicker highway sections with more frequent turns and local road navigation. The character of the road will likely shift as you progress, moving from more open highway to potentially more built-up or residential areas as you approach your destination.
Only 15% 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: 12.6 mi on William Flinn Highway.
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 early in the drive near Sixth 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 9 decision points packed into just 26.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sixth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Bigelow Square): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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 48m. Total distance: 26.7 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.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on William Flinn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Nixon, 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: near the start (Sixth Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Bigelow Square): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Nixon, 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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