The drive from Youngstown, OH to Ashland, OH covers 97.4 miles and takes about 1h 56m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 76, I 71, Kenmore Expressway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 39.2 miles on I 76.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.96 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.7 miles from Youngstown, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 76
39.2 mi
44m
I 71
22.3 mi
23m
Kenmore Expressway
19.8 mi
24m
I 80
4.6 mi
5m
Wickliffe Expressway
4.6 mi
6m
US 250
3.1 mi
5m
South Shore Expressway
1.5 mi
2m
Market Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 76
— 39.2 mi, about 44m
Traffic on I-76
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,377 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,773
Quietest
2 AM
~180 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 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 Youngstown, OH and Ashland, OH.
1
Start on Central Square
123 ft·9 sec·Central Square
2
Continue on Central Square
340 ft·14 sec·Central Square
3
Turn straight onto Market Street
0.5 mi·50 sec·Market Street
4
Turn right onto West Woodland Avenue
230 ft·4 sec·West Woodland Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·16 sec
6
Merge onto I 680
1.5 mi·2 min·South Shore Expressway
7
Continue on I 680
4.6 mi·6 min·Wickliffe Expressway
8
Merge onto I 80
4.6 mi·5 min·I 80
9
Continue on I 76
39 mi·44 min·I 76
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
20 mi·24 min·Kenmore Expressway
Toward I 76 West: BarbertonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.2 mi·2 min
Exit 1AToward I 71 South: ColumbusUse the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 71
22 mi·23 min·I 71
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Exit 186Toward US 250: Ashland, WoosterUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 250
322 ft·5 sec·US 250
15
Continue on US 250
3.0 mi·5 min·US 250
Use the straight lane.
16
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Trip Plan
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 48.7 miles from Youngstown, OH, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.2 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 21 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.7 miles or 57m 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ashland, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Youngstown, OH so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Youngstown, OH
This is one driving day of about 97.4 miles and 1h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Youngstown, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 76 for about 39.2 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 93.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Central Square
Continue onto Central Square
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|West Woodland Avenue
Turn right onto West Woodland Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
50.6 mi into trip|~59m in|I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Kenmore Expressway toward I 76 West: Barberton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 West: Barberton
7
70.4 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward I 71 South: Columbus
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1A
Toward I 71 South: Columbus
8
93.9 mi into trip|~1h 50m in
Take the exit toward US 250: Ashland, Wooster
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 186
Toward US 250: Ashland, Wooster
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.96 one way
$29.92 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$16.87
$33.74
premium
$4.98
$19.10
$38.21
diesel
$5.60
$21.47
$42.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.2
0
$10.23
$4.68
Efficient EV
24.4
0
$8.52
$3.90
EV Truck/SUV
39
0
$13.64
$6.23
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Aug 29, 2026
Origin
Youngstown, OH
Late night
in Youngstown on Friday
Local time
4:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
SE 1 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Ashland, OH
Late night
in Ashland on Friday
Local time
4:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
3 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 56m 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.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discov...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
Free
near mile 50.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
97.4 mi in 1h 56m, mostly highway — 39.2 mi of that is on I 76.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.2 mi on I 76.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 76 and I 71. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Central Square.
Driving Effort5/10
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 97.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 (Central Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (West Woodland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 50.6 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Youngstown is a city of 60,000 people (2020) in Northeast Ohio and is the county seat of Mahoning County. For Youngstown, it was all about coal and steel, until deindustrialization occurred in the second half of the 20th century.
Top landmarks
•Butler Institute of American Art — museum in Youngstown, Ohio
•Idora Park — amusement park in Youngstown, Ohio
•Youngstown station — former train station in Youngstown, Ohio, US
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 56m. Total distance: 97.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.2 miles on I 76. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (Central Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (West Woodland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 50.6 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 Ashland, OH before heading back.
