Anna, IL to Cicero, IL is 341.1 miles and takes about 6h 22m via I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway, with a fuel budget near $60 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, traveling entirely within Illinois. The route primarily uses major highways, making it a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a highway share of 91%, it's well-suited for a single-day trip if you're looking to get to your destination efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
170.6 miles from Anna, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
178.5 mi
3h 11m
Ken Gray Expressway
133 mi
2h 23m
Cicero Avenue
10.8 mi
17m
South Cicero Avenue
10.6 mi
17m
East Vienna Street
5.8 mi
8m
South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
West 31st Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Vollmer Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 178.5 mi, about 3h 11m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,006 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,239
Quietest
3 AM
~158 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Anna, IL and Cicero, IL.
1
Start on IL 146
34 ft·1 sec·Broad Street
2
Turn right onto IL 146
5.8 mi·8 min·East Vienna Street
3
Continue on IL 146
0.3 mi·27 sec·770N
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
5
Merge onto I 57
66 mi·1 hr 10 min·Ken Gray Expressway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
67 mi·1 hr 12 min·Ken Gray Expressway
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
179 mi·3 hr 11 min·I 57
Toward I 57 North: ChicagoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 342Toward Vollmer RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
522 ft·17 sec
Exit 342Toward Vollmer Road WestUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto CH B66
0.4 mi·39 sec·Vollmer Road
11
Turn left onto IL 50
11 mi·17 min·Cicero Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on IL 50
11 mi·17 min·South Cicero Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto West 31st Street
0.5 mi·58 sec·West 31st Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South Laramie Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
South Laramie Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 6h 22m drive, consider leaving Anna, IL early in the morning to avoid any potential traffic as you near Cicero. The route is designed for a single day, so you won't need an overnight stay. With 91% highway driving, you can cover significant ground quickly. Plan for your one stop along I 57, perhaps around the halfway point, to refuel and stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as services can be more spread out on longer highway stretches.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 170.6 miles from Anna, IL, or about 3h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 178.5 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 75 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 170.6 miles or 3h 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 5h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cicero, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Anna, IL 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 Anna, IL
This is one driving day of about 341.1 miles and 6h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 miles from Anna, IL.
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 I 57 for about 178.5 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 71.9 and 340 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
71.9 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
7
139.3 mi into trip|~2h 32m in|I 57
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
7
317.9 mi into trip|~5h 44m in
Take the exit toward Vollmer Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 342
Toward Vollmer Road
9
318.1 mi into trip|~5h 45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Vollmer Road West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 342
Toward Vollmer Road West
6
340 mi into trip|~6h 20m in|West 31st Street
Turn left onto West 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.71 one way
$113.42 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg119 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$61.77
$123.55
premium
$5.18
$69.60
$139.21
diesel
$5.35
$71.85
$143.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$57
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
102.3
1
$35.82
$16.37
Efficient EV
85.3
0
$29.85
$13.64
EV Truck/SUV
136.4
1
$47.75
$21.83
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Anna, IL
Afternoon
in Anna on Wednesday
Local time
2:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Clear
NE 2 to 7 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 1 at 12:00PM CDT until June 2 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Destination
Cicero, IL
Afternoon
in Cicero on Wednesday
Local time
2:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
NNE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 1 at 12:00PM CDT until June 2 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
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
9 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
6h 22m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
Free
near mile 329.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly on highways, with 91% of the 341.1 miles utilizing major roadways like I 57. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of driving on I 57 for 178.5 miles. The transition to surface streets occurs as you approach Cicero, IL, where you'll navigate Cicero Avenue. Expect a high volume of exits for much of this trip.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 178.5 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 71.9 miles in near I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway.
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 11 significant decision points across 341.1 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 71.9 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 139.3 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 317.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
745 ft435 ft
Total Climb
372 ft
Total Descent
395 ft
Highest Point
745 ft
~243.7 mi in
Elevation Range
310 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Anna, IL to Cicero, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Vollmer Road West along the way.
Vollmer Road West
318.1 mi in|~5h 45m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cicero is a town of 81,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland area, just west of the Chicago city limits. It became famous when gangster Al Capone moved here to escape from the Chicago Police in the early 1920s.
Top landmarks
•Hawthorne Works — Factory complex in Cicero, Illinois
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 22m. Total distance: 341.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 22m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 178.5 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 47 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 Cicero, IL 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 47 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 71.9 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 139.3 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 317.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cicero, IL before the return drive.
