Origin
Willow Street, PA
Morning in Willow Street on Tuesday
Local time
6:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Willow Street, PA to Harrisburg, 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
1h 3m
Distance
43.1 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
Willow Street to Harrisburg is 43.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via PA 283 and I-283, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily stays within Pennsylvania, moving from one Northeast region to another. Expect a straightforward trip focused on efficient travel, making it ideal for a quick hop between these two points. The journey is short enough to be completed in a single day, offering a practical way to get from Willow Street to Harrisburg without significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| PA 283 | 28.1 mi | 32m |
| Willow Street Pike | 3.4 mi | 7m |
| I 283 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| South Queen Street | 1.9 mi | 6m |
| Fruitville Pike | 1 mi | 2m |
| State Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South 13th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North 7th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
PA 283
— 28.1 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Willow Street, PA and Harrisburg, PA.
1
Start on this road
32 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto PA 272
3.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Willow Street Pike
3
Continue on US 222; PA 272
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Highland Avenue
4
Continue on US 222; PA 272
1.9 mi
·
6 min
·
South Queen Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto US 222; PA 272; PA 72
400 ft
·
13 sec
·
McGovern Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Turn slight right onto PA 72
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
PA 72
7
Continue on Fruitville Pike
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Fruitville Pike
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
Toward PA 283 West: Harrisburg
9
Merge onto PA 283
28 mi
·
32 min
·
PA 283
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 283 North: Harrisburg
11
Merge onto I 283
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 283
12
Keep slight left at fork
2.7 mi
·
3 min
Exit 3A
Toward I 83 South: Harrisburg
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 44B
Toward 17th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
293 ft
·
7 sec
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto South 17th Street
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
South 17th Street
16
Turn left onto Derry Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Derry Street
17
Turn right onto South 13th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 13th Street
18
Turn left onto State Street
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
State Street
19
Continue on Fisher Plaza
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Fisher Plaza
20
Keep slight right at fork onto North 7th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North 7th Street
21
Arrive at destination
North 7th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Willow Street, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 40.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 222; PA 272; PA 72 / McGovern Avenue
Turn left onto US 222; PA 272; PA 72 / McGovern Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
7.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
PA 283
Merge onto PA 283
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
37.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 83 South: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 3A
Toward I 83 South: Harrisburg
7
40.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward 17th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 44B
Toward 17th Street
7
40.8 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.15 one way
$14.29 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.83 | $15.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.36 | $16.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.52 | $19.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.53 | $2.07 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.77 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Harrisburg, PA
Morning in Harrisburg on Tuesday
Local time
6:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 3m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with about 70% of the journey utilizing major roads like PA 283 and I-283. You'll experience a fairly consistent pace for much of the trip, including a continuous stretch of 28.1 miles on PA 283. The road character is largely that of a modern highway, designed for steady forward momentum. While not a winding scenic route, it offers a direct and efficient path, minimizing distractions and maximizing travel speed.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.1 mi on PA 283.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on PA 283 and Willow Street Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near US 222; PA 272; PA 72 / McGovern Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.1 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 5.5 miles (US 222; PA 272; PA 72 / McGovern Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (PA 283): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Harrisburg, PA
Full guide →Founded 1719
Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.
Top landmarks
- • Pennsylvania State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
- • Cathedral of Saint Patrick — cathedral of the Catholic Church in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United St...
- • Harrisburg Transportation Center — intermodal station in Harrisburg, 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 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.1 miles on PA 283. 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 Harrisburg, 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: at 5.5 miles (US 222; PA 272; PA 72 / McGovern Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (PA 283): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and 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 Harrisburg, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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