Origin
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
11:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to Riley, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
41.4 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Aurora, IL to Riley, IL is 41.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via South Randall Road and Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This relatively short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward connection. Expect a drive that primarily utilizes surface roads, offering a more grounded perspective than highway cruising. It's a practical option for those needing to travel between these two points without significant time commitment or cost.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Randall Road | 18.4 mi | 30m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 15.3 mi | 16m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Mooseheart Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Harmony Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Riley Road | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| South State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Randall Road
— 18.4 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Riley, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn left onto IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Lincolnway Street
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
South Lincolnway Street
4
Turn left onto CR 71
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Mooseheart Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right
113 ft
·
7 sec
6
Turn right onto CR 34
18 mi
·
30 min
·
South Randall Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 90
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto IL 23
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
South State Street
11
Enter roundabout onto A49
222 ft
·
3 sec
·
Harmony Road
12
Continue on A49
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harmony Road
13
Turn right onto Riley Road
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Riley Road
14
Arrive at destination
Riley Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Aurora, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 39.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
CR 71 / Mooseheart Road
Turn left onto CR 71 / Mooseheart Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CR 34 / South Randall Road
Turn right onto CR 34 / South Randall Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
23.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn left toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford
8
39.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
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 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.47 one way
$12.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.11 | $14.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.97 | $15.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.07
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(15.3 mi)
$1.07
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.62 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Riley, IL
Morning in Riley on Tuesday
Local time
11:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
1h 3m 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 drive is almost entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway share. You'll spend the majority of your time navigating local routes, with the longest continuous stretch on South Randall Road measuring 18.4 miles. Be prepared for frequent intersections and traffic signals as you move through built-up areas before transitioning to more open segments. The experience will feel more like driving through towns and suburbs than open highway.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on South Randall Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / North Lake Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 41.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (CR 71 / Mooseheart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (CR 34 / South Randall Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
Top landmarks
- • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
- • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
- • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, Illinois
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 3m. Total distance: 41.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on South Randall Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.07 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams Memorial 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 Riley, 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (CR 71 / Mooseheart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (CR 34 / South Randall Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riley, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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