Origin
Arlington Heights, IL
Evening in Arlington Heights on Friday
Local time
6:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington Heights, IL to Downers Grove, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Downers Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Arlington Heights, IL to Downers Grove, IL is 24 miles and takes about 36 minutes via I-355, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive that makes for an easy commute or a quick errand. You'll mostly be on the interstate, so expect typical highway conditions. Given its brevity, this route is best suited for a same-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 355 | 9.5 mi | 11m |
| IL 53 | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| East Euclid Avenue | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| Highland Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Butterfield Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 355
— 9.5 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington Heights, IL and Downers Grove, IL.
1
Start on East Euclid Avenue
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East Euclid Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward IL 53 South
3
Merge onto IL 53
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 53
4
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 355
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
I 355
Exit 7
Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
Use the slight left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 20-22
Toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 22
Toward IL 56: Butterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto IL 56
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Butterfield Road
Use the left lane.
9
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
171 ft
·
8 sec
Use the right lane.
11
Turn slight right onto Highland Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Highland Avenue
12
Continue on Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 22.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
8
11 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 355
Keep slight left at fork onto I 355 toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7
Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
8
20.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butterfield Road
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 20-22
Toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butte...
8
20.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 56: Butterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 22
Toward IL 56: Butterfield Road
7
22.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.72 one way
$7.44 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.66 | $9.31 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $5.29 | $10.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Downers Grove, IL
Evening in Downers Grove on Friday
Local time
6:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
36m 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 mostly highway, with 73% of the drive on interstates and major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 9.5 miles on I-355. The majority of your travel will be on I-355, but you'll transition to surface streets like East Euclid Avenue for the final leg. Expect to encounter frequent exits as you navigate the suburban landscape.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.5 mi on I 355.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 355 and IL 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in near IL 53.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 24 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
749 ft
697 ft
Total Climb
140 ft
Total Descent
96 ft
Highest Point
749 ft
~3.4 mi in
Elevation Range
52 ft
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.
On the drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Downers Grove, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Aurora along the way.
Aurora
20.5 mi in
|
~29m
About the Cities
Starting in Arlington Heights, IL
Full guide →Founded 1887
Arlington Heights is a city in northeastern Chicagoland. The 2010 Census put the population at 75,101, the largest for a village in the United States. Arlington Heights is known for the Arlington Park Race Track as well as a large Japanese community, third in the state behind neighboring Schaumburg and Chicago proper. Some notable people have come from the village as well, including Walter Payton, Ted Nugent, and Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald's).
Arriving in Downers Grove, IL
Full guide →Founded 1832
Downers Grove is a village in Chicagoland. With a 2005 population of 49,000, Downers Grove has developed into a major Chicago suburb. It contains the headquarters of many major companies, including Sara Lee and Butterball, and has a bustling, trendy downtown.
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 36m. Total distance: 24 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.5 miles on I 355. 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 Downers Grove, 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 4 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.5 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 Downers Grove, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Downers Grove, IL
Explore more options from Arlington Heights, IL or browse trips ending in Downers Grove, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.