Spring Ridge to Scranton is 103.1 miles and takes about 2h 8m via I 81 and Pottsville Pike, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Pennsylvania, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The majority of your travel will be on major highways, making it a straightforward option for a quick trip. With minimal stops recommended, this route is ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.5 miles from Spring Ridge, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
59.6 mi
1h 10m
Pottsville Pike
12.5 mi
15m
Centre Turnpike
10.6 mi
12m
Joseph H. Long Boulevard
4.8 mi
5m
US 222
4.5 mi
6m
Route 61 South
3 mi
3m
South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
1.5 mi
2m
South Centre Avenue
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 59.6 mi, about 1h 10m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,824 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,145
Quietest
2 AM
~183 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spring Ridge, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on this road
305 ft·23 sec·this road
2
Turn left
203 ft·17 sec
3
Turn right
0.1 mi·30 sec
4
At end of road, turn right
210 ft·9 sec
5
Turn left onto Meridian Boulevard
0.4 mi·1 min·Meridian Boulevard
6
Turn left onto Papermill Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Papermill Road
7
Turn right onto Spring Ridge Drive
0.1 mi·18 sec·Spring Ridge Drive
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward US 222 North: Allentown
9
Merge onto US 222
4.5 mi·6 min·US 222
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward PA 61 North: PottsvilleUse the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto PA 61
2.9 mi·3 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi·1 min·South Centre Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on PA 61
3.2 mi·3 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on PA 61
0.6 mi·43 sec·Shoemaker Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on PA 61
2.3 mi·2 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi·19 sec·South 4th Street
17
Continue on PA 61
4.2 mi·5 min·Pottsville Pike
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on PA 61
11 mi·12 min·Centre Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on PA 61
3.0 mi·3 min·Route 61 South
20
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi·18 sec·Pottsville Boulevard
21
Continue on PA 61
1.5 mi·2 min·South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
22
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi·1 min·Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
23
Continue on PA 61
4.8 mi·5 min·Joseph H. Long Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 81 North: Hazleton
25
Merge onto I 81
60 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 81
26
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
27
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
28
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
29
Arrive at destination
Cedar Avenue
Trip Plan
This is a short, single-day drive, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning or early afternoon should give you ample time to reach Scranton before evening. With only an estimated 2h 8m of driving, you might not need many stops, but it's always a good idea to take a break if you feel tired. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach Scranton, as the $17 fuel cost is an estimate. Consider filling up before you hit the road to ensure you have enough for your entire trip.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.5 miles from Spring Ridge, PA, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.6 miles.
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 23 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.5 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Spring Ridge, 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 Spring Ridge, PA
This is one driving day of about 103.1 miles and 2h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Spring Ridge, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 59.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 102.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in
At end of road, turn right
Navigation decision point
6
1.4 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward US 222 North: Allentown
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward US 222 North: Allentown
6
6 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward PA 61 North: Pottsville
7
102.9 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.59 one way
$33.17 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$18.67
$37.34
premium
$4.95
$20.11
$40.22
diesel
$5.98
$24.27
$48.55
Estimated Tolls: $0.74
Centre Turnpike
(10.6 mi)$0.74
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.1 kg one way.
EV Charging Along Route
19 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Laurel Mall - Tesla Supercharger
Hazleton, PA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Shell Station - Tesla Supercharger
Drums, PA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Wilkes-Barre Township Commons - Tesla Supercharger
Wilkes-Barre Township, PA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Reading, PA Rechargery Relay @ Wawa - N 11th St.
Reading, PA
IONNA
10 DCFC
Scranton, PA Rechargery @ Sheetz - Scranton Carbondale Hwy
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.9
0
$10.83
$4.95
Efficient EV
25.8
0
$9.02
$4.12
EV Truck/SUV
41.2
0
$14.43
$6.60
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Spring Ridge, PA
Evening
in Spring Ridge on Sunday
Local time
7:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Sunny
NE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Evening
in City of Scranton on Sunday
Local time
7:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Sunny
NE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
38°F
Palo Alto, PA
52 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 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
2h 8m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
21 mi from route
~52 min detour
Free
near mile 32
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 75% of this 103.1-mile drive on highways, primarily I 81. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 59.6 miles on I 81. After the highway portion, you'll transition to Pottsville Pike and Centre Turnpike. Expect a significant amount of highway cruising with relatively frequent exits on I 81 before transitioning to more local road conditions.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.6 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and Pottsville Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 103.1 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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 103.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.6 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.74 in tolls one way, starting with Centre Turnpike. 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.
Yes — we found about 9 rest areas or service plazas 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.
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 City of Scranton, PA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 9 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Yes — Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 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 City of Scranton, PA before heading back.
