Youngstown to Curtice is 163 miles and takes about 3 hours and 6 minutes via Ohio Turnpike and I-80, with a fuel budget near $26 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Ohio, moving from the Midwest region into another part of the Midwest. Given its relatively short duration and mostly highway profile, it's a straightforward trip suitable for a single day. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, making it a functional transit route rather than a scenic tour.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
81.6 miles from Youngstown, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ohio Turnpike
136.5 mi
2h 26m
Toledo Street
6.5 mi
9m
I 80
5 mi
6m
Wickliffe Expressway
4.6 mi
6m
North Reiman Road
4 mi
5m
South Shore Expressway
1.5 mi
2m
SR 51
1.4 mi
2m
North Wildacre Road
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Ohio Turnpike
— 136.5 mi, about 2h 26m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,017 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,376
Quietest
2 AM
~245 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 100 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 Curtice, 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
4.1 mi·4 min·I 80
9
Take the exit onto I 80
0.5 mi·1 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West, I 76 EastUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
0.4 mi·1 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Cleveland
11
Merge onto I 80
31 mi·33 min·Ohio Turnpike
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
105 mi·1 hr 53 min·Ohio Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.3 mi·2 min
Exit 81Toward SR 51: Elmore, Woodville, Gibsonburg
14
At end of road, turn right onto SR 51
1.4 mi·2 min·SR 51
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto SR 51
6.5 mi·9 min·Toledo Street
16
Turn slight right onto TR 53
4.0 mi·5 min·North Reiman Road
17
At end of road, turn right onto SR 579
0.6 mi·50 sec·Williston Road
18
Turn left onto TR 72
1.1 mi·1 min·North Wildacre Road
19
Turn left onto CR 72
91 ft·2 sec·Front Street
20
Arrive at destination
CR 72
Trip Plan
For this 3-hour drive, leaving in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimate of $26, it's a manageable trip for a single day, so you have flexibility in your departure time. The longest stretch without a major exit is over 136 miles on the Ohio Turnpike, so plan your fuel and any brief breaks accordingly before embarking on that segment. Keep an eye on the dense exits as you approach Toledo, as this can be a busy area.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 81.6 miles from Youngstown, OH, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 136.5 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 36 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.6 miles or 1h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Curtice, 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.
+
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 Youngstown, OH
This is one driving day of about 163.2 miles and 3h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Youngstown, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Ohio Turnpike for about 136.5 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 10.9 and 149.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
10.9 mi into trip|~14m in|I 80
Take the exit onto I 80 toward I 80 West, I 76 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 80 West, I 76 East
5
11.4 mi into trip|~15m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Cleveland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 West: Cleveland
6
42.9 mi into trip|~50m in|I 80 / Ohio Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Ohio Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
148.4 mi into trip|~2h 43m in
Take the exit toward SR 51: Elmore, Woodville, Gibsonburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81
Toward SR 51: Elmore, Woodville, Gibsonburg
7
149.6 mi into trip|~2h 46m in|SR 51
At end of road, turn right onto SR 51
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.53 one way
$51.07 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.47
$28.75
$57.49
premium
$5.06
$32.49
$64.97
diesel
$6.18
$39.70
$79.40
Estimated Tolls: $6.82
Ohio Turnpike
(136.5 mi)$6.82
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
$26
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49
0
$17.14
$7.83
Efficient EV
40.8
0
$14.28
$6.53
EV Truck/SUV
65.3
0
$22.85
$10.44
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Youngstown, OH
Morning
in Youngstown on Tuesday
Local time
9:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Areas Of Frost then Sunny
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Curtice, OH
Morning
in Curtice on Tuesday
Local time
9:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Sunny
S 0 to 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
1 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
3h 6m 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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily weighted towards highway travel, with 91% of the route on high-speed roads. You'll encounter a long stretch of 136.5 miles on the Ohio Turnpike. The bulk of your drive will be on the Ohio Turnpike and I-80, offering a consistent cruising experience. Expect to transition to Toledo Street as you near your destination, marking the end of the highway segment.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 136.5 mi on Ohio Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Ohio Turnpike and Toledo Street. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 10.9 miles in near I 80.
Driving Effort6/10
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 163.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 10.9 miles (I 80): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 42.9 miles (I 80 / Ohio Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,238 ft594 ft
Total Climb
494 ft
Total Descent
756 ft
Highest Point
1,238 ft
~35 mi in
Elevation Range
644 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Youngstown, OH and Curtice, OH, road signs point toward Woodville and Gibsonburg.
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
•Arlington Avenue District — United States historic place
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 6m. Total distance: 163.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 136.5 miles on Ohio Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.82 in tolls one way, starting with Ohio 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 19 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 Curtice, OH 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 10.9 miles (I 80): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 42.9 miles (I 80 / Ohio Turnpike): 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.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Curtice, OH, but most travelers stay overnight.
