Origin
Arlington Heights, IL
Late night in Arlington Heights on Sunday
Local time
2:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington Heights, IL to Crete, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
56.9 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Crete, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Arlington Heights, IL to Crete, IL is 56.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Expect a journey with several turns, indicating a route that weaves through local areas rather than a direct highway shot. Given the relatively short duration, this trip is easily manageable in a single day, offering a straightforward connection between these two Illinois locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 34.6 mi | 43m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Dixie Highway | 5.1 mi | 10m |
| Chicago Road | 3.4 mi | 8m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 80 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 34.6 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington Heights, IL and Crete, IL.
1
Start on East Euclid Avenue
48 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
2
Turn right onto North Arlington Heights Road
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 90 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 90
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 77A
Toward I 294 Toll South, I 190 West: Indiana, O'Hare
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 294 Toll South: Indiana
7
Merge onto I 294
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
11
Continue on I 294
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 4
Toward Hazel Crest, Homewood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 80
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 80
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 4
Toward Dixie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Dixie Highway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dixie Highway
17
Continue on Dixie Highway
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Dixie Highway
18
At end of road, turn right onto Dixie Highway
4.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Dixie Highway
19
At end of road, turn right onto IL 1
3.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Chicago Road
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on IL 1
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Vincennes Boulevard
21
Continue on IL 1
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
22
Arrive at destination
IL 1
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Arlington Heights, IL, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 10.3 and 52.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 294 Toll South, I 190 West: Indiana, O'Hare
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 77A
Toward I 294 Toll South, I 190 West: Indiana, O...
6
26 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
46.4 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward Hazel Crest, Homewood
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 4
Toward Hazel Crest, Homewood
7
47 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward Dixie Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4
Toward Dixie Highway
6
52.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
IL 1 / Chicago Road
At end of road, turn right onto IL 1 / Chicago Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.90 one way
$17.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.77 | $19.53 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.56 | $25.13 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.54
Tri-state Tollway
(34.6 mi)
$2.08
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(6.6 mi)
$0.46
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.97 | $2.73 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.97 | $3.64 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Crete, IL
Late night in Crete on Sunday
Local time
2:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
20 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
1h 23m 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 route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll encounter numerous directional changes as you navigate. While it includes 100% highway driving, it's not a simple point-to-point interstate. The longest continuous stretch is 34.6 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, offering a period of consistent travel before transitioning. Be prepared for a driving experience that blends highway speeds with the more intricate navigation of local roads, requiring your attention throughout the 1 hour and 23 minute journey.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.6 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.9 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Arlington Heights, IL and Crete, IL, road signs point toward O'hare, Hazel Crest, Homewood and Dixie Highway.
O'hare
10.3 mi in
|
~14m
Hazel Crest
46.4 mi in
|
~1h
Homewood
46.4 mi in
|
~1h
Dixie Highway
47 mi in
|
~1h 1m
About the Cities
Arriving in Crete, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
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 23m. Total distance: 56.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.6 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.54 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. 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.
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 Crete, IL 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical 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 Crete, IL 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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