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Trip from Shenandoah, PA to Allentown, PA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 15m

Distance

56.7 mi

91 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Shenandoah, PA, PA

Shenandoah, PA

Jack Pace

county seat city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States

Allentown, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 56.7-mile journey from Shenandoah, PA to Allentown, PA is a straightforward, one-day trip that should take about 1 hour and 15 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, it's an economical drive through Pennsylvania's Northeast region. The route primarily utilizes local roads, including the William Penn Highway and Center Avenue, with a small percentage on highways. Given its short duration and manageable distance, this drive is perfect for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without the need for an overnight stay. It offers a practical way to travel between these two points in Pennsylvania.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
William Penn Highway 21.6 mi 26m
Center Avenue 10.6 mi 12m
Tilghman Street 4.9 mi 8m
Skyline Drive 4.2 mi 4m
Route 61 South 3 mi 3m
Gold Star Highway 2.8 mi 4m
Centre Street 2.7 mi 3m
North Claude A. Lord Boulevard 1.6 mi 2m
Longest stretch: William Penn Highway — 21.6 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Shenandoah, PA and Allentown, PA.

1

Start on this road

99 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn left

31 ft · 4 sec
3

At end of road, turn right onto South Market Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · South Market Street
4

Turn right onto East Cherry Street

202 ft · 14 sec · East Cherry Street
5

Turn left onto PA 924

0.3 mi · 40 sec · South Main Street
6

Continue on PA 924

2.8 mi · 4 min · Gold Star Highway
7

Continue on PA 924

1.0 mi · 2 min · North Lehigh Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Continue on PA 61

4.2 mi · 4 min · Skyline Drive
9

Continue on PA 61

1.1 mi · 1 min · Joseph H. Long Boulevard
10

Continue on PA 61

1.0 mi · 1 min · Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
11

Continue on PA 61

1.6 mi · 2 min · North Claude A. Lord Boulevard
12

Continue on PA 61

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Pottsville Boulevard
13

Continue on PA 61

3.0 mi · 3 min · Route 61 South
14

Continue on PA 61

11 mi · 12 min · Center Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Continue on PA 61

2.7 mi · 3 min · Centre Street
16

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
17

Merge onto I 78; US 22

22 mi · 26 min · William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lehigh Valley Thruway
Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport Use the slight right lane.
19

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward Cetronia Use the slight right lane.
20

Turn straight onto Tilghman Street

4.9 mi · 8 min · Tilghman Street
Use the straight lane.
21

Arrive at destination

Tilghman Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Orwigsburg, PA, PA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Orwigsburg, PA

28 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Pottsville, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomsburg, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.3 miles from Shenandoah, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 51.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Market Street

At end of road, turn right onto South Market Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Cherry Street

Turn right onto East Cherry Street

Navigation decision point

9
50.6 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in | US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 51 Toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI A...
6
51.5 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in

Take the exit toward Cetronia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Cetronia

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.40 one way

$18.80 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $10.30 $20.59
premium $4.93 $11.00 $21.99
diesel $5.61 $12.52 $25.04

Estimated Tolls: $0.07

Lehigh Valley Thruway (1 mi) $0.07

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$0

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17 0 $5.95 $2.72
Efficient EV 14.2 0 $4.96 $2.27
EV Truck/SUV 22.7 0 $7.94 $3.63

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Shenandoah, PA

Afternoon in Shenandoah on Sunday

Local time

1:32 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Allentown, PA

Afternoon in Allentown on Sunday

Local time

1:32 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°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

5 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

1h 15m 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 on this route, featuring a modest 5% highway share. You'll spend most of your time navigating roads like the William Penn Highway, Center Avenue, and Tilghman Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.6 miles along the William Penn Highway. This drive's character is defined by frequent turns and local road conditions rather than sustained highway cruising, so be prepared for a more engaged driving experience.

Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.6 mi on William Penn Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 56.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (South Market Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (East Cherry Street): Navigation decision point.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Shenandoah, PA and Allentown, PA, road signs point toward Lvi Airport and Cetronia.

Lvi Airport

50.6 mi in | ~1h 6m | via US 22

Cetronia

51.5 mi in | ~1h 7m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 56.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 15m 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 21.6 miles on William Penn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.07 in tolls one way, starting with Lehigh Valley Thruway. 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 Allentown, 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (South Market Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (East Cherry Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Allentown, 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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