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Trip from Belvidere, IL to Niles, 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 14m

Distance

59.7 mi

96 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 9m ★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Illinois, United States

Belvidere, IL

Wikimedia Commons

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Niles, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Belvidere, IL to Niles, IL is 59.7 miles and takes about 1h 14m via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region on a drive that's mostly local roads with a significant stretch on a tollway. Given its relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, offering a straightforward journey between two points. It's a practical option for those looking for an efficient way to cover this particular segment of travel.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway 47.6 mi 50m
East Touhy Avenue 4.6 mi 9m
West Touhy Avenue 2.3 mi 3m
Belvidere Road 0.8 mi 1m
Logan Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
North Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
Genoa Road 0.7 mi 1m
South Elmhurst Road 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Jane Addams Memorial Tollway — 47.6 mi, about 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Belvidere, IL and Niles, IL.

1

Start on East Perry Street

59 ft · 9 sec · East Perry Street
2

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
3

Turn left onto Logan Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Logan Avenue
4

Turn right onto US 20 Business

0.8 mi · 1 min · Belvidere Road
5

Continue on CR T40

0.7 mi · 1 min · Genoa Road
6

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min
7

Merge onto I 90

12 mi · 12 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90

36 mi · 38 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 41 sec
Exit 73 Toward Elmhurst Road Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork

340 ft · 8 sec
Toward Elmhurst Road South Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto South Elmhurst Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Elmhurst Road
12

Turn left onto IL 72

2.3 mi · 3 min · West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Continue on East Touhy Avenue

4.6 mi · 9 min · East Touhy Avenue
14

Turn left onto IL 43

0.5 mi · 50 sec · North Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto West Howard Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · West Howard Street
16

Turn right onto North Waukegan Road

14 ft · 0 sec · North Waukegan Road
Use the right lane.
17

Arrive at destination

North Waukegan Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; suburb of Chicago, Illinois

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Arlington Heights, IL

30 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

Coral, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Elgin, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.9 miles from Belvidere, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 59.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
3.5 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.4 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.1 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward Elmhurst Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 73 Toward Elmhurst Road
7
51.5 mi into trip | ~59m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Elmhurst Road South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Elmhurst Road South
6
59.7 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in | North Waukegan Road

Turn right onto North Waukegan Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.33 one way

$18.67 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.25 $20.50
premium $4.89 $11.49 $22.98
diesel $5.61 $13.18 $26.36

Estimated Tolls: $3.33

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (47.6 mi) $3.33

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

$13

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.9 0 $6.27 $2.87
Efficient EV 14.9 0 $5.22 $2.39
EV Truck/SUV 23.9 0 $8.36 $3.82

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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 Apr 12, 2026

Origin

Belvidere, IL

Night in Belvidere on Saturday

Local time

11:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SW 20 to 25 mph 64% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 1:25PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 12:16PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Niles, IL

Night in Niles on Saturday

Local time

11:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 25 mph 23% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 1:25PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 12:16PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

6 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 14m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with just 0% of the journey on highways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 47.6 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a period of more consistent speed. The remainder of the drive involves navigating local roads, which means you should anticipate frequent turns and varying speed limits. Be prepared for a more engaging driving experience that requires attention to your surroundings and navigation.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.6 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 3.5 miles in near I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 3.5 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Belvidere, IL to Niles, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Elmhurst Road South along the way.

Elmhurst Road South

51.5 mi in | ~59m

About the Cities

Starting in Belvidere, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1835

Top landmarks

  • Pettit Memorial Chapel — historic building in Belvidere, Illinois
  • United States Post Office — government building in Belvidere, Illinois
  • Old Belvidere High School — high school in Belvidere, 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 14m. Total distance: 59.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 14m 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 47.6 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $3.33 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 Niles, 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 3.5 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.1 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Niles, 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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