Origin
West Salem, OH
Afternoon in West Salem on Sunday
Local time
1:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Salem, OH to Akron, OH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
38.2 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Salem, OH
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This relatively short trip from West Salem, OH to Akron, OH covers 38.2 miles and is expected to take about 47 minutes. It's a straightforward drive, making it an ideal day trip within the Midwest region. You'll primarily be on I-76, with some stretches of the Conneaut-Cincinnati Highway and Innerbelt contributing to the journey. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this is a budget-friendly excursion. The drive is classified as a 'Mixed drive,' suggesting a blend of highway speeds and potentially some local road navigation, but it's short enough that you won't need to worry about overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 76 | 18.4 mi | 22m |
| Conneaut-Cincinnati Highway | 10.9 mi | 11m |
| Innerbelt | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Kenmore Expressway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Ruff Road | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Elyria Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Congress Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 76
— 18.4 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Salem, OH and Akron, OH.
1
Start on Congress Street
63 ft
·
3 sec
·
Congress Street
2
Turn right onto SR 301
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
South Main Street
3
Continue on SR 301
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Elyria Road
4
Turn left onto CR 102
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Ruff Road
5
Turn right onto SR 539
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Congress Road
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
7
Merge onto I 71
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Conneaut-Cincinnati Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 209A-B
Toward I 76, US 224: Lodi, Akron
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 209A
Toward I 76, US 224 East: Akron
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 76; US 224
17 mi
·
20 min
·
I 76; US 224
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Kenmore Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 76
Toward I 76 East: Akron
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 59
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Innerbelt
Exit 21C
Toward SR 59 East: Downtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on SR 59
406 ft
·
13 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
15
Turn right onto West Center Street
459 ft
·
19 sec
·
West Center Street
16
Turn left onto West Bowery Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Bowery Street
17
Arrive at destination
West Bowery Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from West Salem, OH, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 14.2 and 35.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
14.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 76, US 224: Lodi, Akron
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 209A-B
Toward I 76, US 224: Lodi, Akron
9
14.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 76, US 224 East: Akron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 209A
Toward I 76, US 224 East: Akron
6
32.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
34.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 76
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 toward I 76 East: Akron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Akron
8
35.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
SR 59 / Innerbelt
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 59 / Innerbelt toward SR 59 East: Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21C
Toward SR 59 East: Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.93 one way
$11.86 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $6.58 | $13.16 |
| premium | $4.91 | $7.38 | $14.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.43 | $16.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Akron, OH
Afternoon in Akron on Sunday
Local time
1:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
W 13 mph
86% chance
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
29 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
47m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, with 53% of it being on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.4 miles on I-76, offering a good opportunity to maintain a consistent speed. While the Conneaut-Cincinnati Highway and Innerbelt will introduce some variations, the overall feel is likely to be practical rather than overtly scenic. This drive is designed for efficient travel, moving you between two points in Ohio without significant detours or demanding road conditions.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on I 76.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 38.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.6 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Akron, OH
Full guide →Akron is a city of almost 200,000 people (2019) in the Northeast Ohio region in Summit County. Akron is proud of its heritage as a center of industry, and now offers visitors a wide range of recreational and cultural attractions, food experiences, and shopping.
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 47m. Total distance: 38.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on I 76. 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 Akron, OH 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 14.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.6 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 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 Akron, OH 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 Akron, OH
More from West Salem, OH
More trips to Akron, OH
Explore more options from West Salem, OH or browse trips ending in Akron, OH.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse OH road trips.