Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 53m
Distance
114.2 mi
184 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pittsburgh, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Sterling, PA
Clément Proust
Pittsburgh to Sterling is 114.2 miles and takes about 2h 53m via William Penn Highway, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Pennsylvania, beginning in the Northeast region and concluding in the same region. Expect a local road experience with frequent turns, so plan for a slightly slower pace than a pure highway journey. With a recommended one-day trip, you'll have ample time to complete this drive without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
57.1 miles from Pittsburgh, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| William Penn Highway | 50.9 mi | 1h 13m |
| Penn-Lincoln Parkway East | 13.8 mi | 19m |
| Admiral Peary Highway | 13.7 mi | 19m |
| Gallitzin Road | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Executive Drive | 6 mi | 10m |
| Clearfield Valley Boulevard | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| Glendale Valley Boulevard | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Ginter Morann Highway | 2 mi | 3m |
Step-by-step road directions between Pittsburgh, PA and Sterling, PA.
Start on Grant Street
Continue on Grant Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30
Merge onto US 22
Continue on US 22
Continue on US 22
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto PA 53
Continue on PA 53
Continue on PA 53
At end of road, turn right onto PA 36; PA 53
Turn left onto PA 53
Continue on PA 53
Turn straight onto PA 53
Turn right onto PA 253
At end of road, turn left onto PA 253; PA 865
Turn sharp right onto PA 253
Continue on PA 253
At end of road, turn left onto PA 253; PA 453
Turn right onto PA 153
Continue on PA 153
Continue on PA 153
Continue on PA 153
Turn right onto PA 53
Continue on PA 53
Turn left onto Sterling Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given the 2h 53m estimated drive time and the turn-heavy nature of this route, consider departing Pittsburgh in the morning to allow for a relaxed pace and potential unforeseen delays. The $19 fuel cost suggests a single fill-up might suffice, but check your tank before leaving. With only one stop recommended and a total distance of 114.2 miles, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. A practical tip for this journey is to pay close attention to signage, especially on the William Penn Highway, as frequent turns are a defining characteristic of this drive.
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.
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 25 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.1 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sterling, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Pittsburgh, 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 Pittsburgh, PA
This is one driving day of about 114.2 miles and 2h 53m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 57.1 miles from Pittsburgh, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 89.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto US 22 / William Penn Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward PA 53: Cresson, Lilly
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 53 North: Cresson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto PA 36; PA 53 / Liberty Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$18.93 one way
$37.87 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $20.74 | $41.47 |
| premium | $4.93 | $22.15 | $44.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.21 | $50.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.3 | 0 | $11.99 | $5.48 |
| Efficient EV | 28.6 | 0 | $9.99 | $4.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.7 | 0 | $15.99 | $7.31 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Pittsburgh on Sunday
Local time
10:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Sterling on Sunday
Local time
10:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
47°F
Germany, PA
57 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter numerous turns and changes in direction rather than long, straight stretches. Only 12% of the drive is on highways, so be prepared for a more engaging experience navigating local roads like the William Penn Highway and Penn-Lincoln Parkway East. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 50.9 miles on the William Penn Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before the local turns resume. This driving profile suggests a journey where you'll be actively involved in navigating.
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 0.7 miles in near I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 114.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (I 376; US 22; US 30 / Penn-Lincoln Parkway East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Pittsburgh, PA to Sterling, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Lilly along the way.
Lilly
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 53m. Total distance: 114.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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.
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