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Trip from Bloomington, IL to Bethalto, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 44m

Distance

142.8 mi

230 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 34m ★
6 AM
2h 45m
8 AM
3h 6m
10 AM
2h 52m
12 PM
2h 50m
3 PM
2h 53m
5 PM
3h 5m
8 PM
2h 38m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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village in Illinois

Bethalto, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 142.8-mile journey from Bloomington, IL to Bethalto, IL is a straightforward, one-day drive, estimated to take about 2 hours and 44 minutes. With a fuel cost of approximately $22, it's an economical trip. The route stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, offering a familiar regional experience. You'll navigate local roads for the entirety of the trip, making it a more engaging, turn-heavy drive rather than a high-speed highway cruise. This makes it perfectly suited for a single day of travel, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

71.4 miles from Bloomington, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 22m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Veterans Parkway 65.7 mi 1h 11m
I 55 62.6 mi 1h 7m
State Route 140 9.6 mi 13m
North Morris Avenue 1.7 mi 4m
East Bethalto Drive 0.7 mi 1m
East State Street 0.7 mi 1m
South Prairie Street 0.6 mi 1m
West Market Street 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: South Veterans Parkway — 65.7 mi, about 1h 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Bethalto, IL.

1

Start on US 51 Business

136 ft · 5 sec · North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on US 51 Business

396 ft · 16 sec · North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Turn left onto West Chestnut Street

273 ft · 19 sec · West Chestnut Street
4

Turn left onto US 51 Business

393 ft · 13 sec · North Center Street
5

Continue on US 51 Business

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Madison Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6

Turn right onto West Market Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Market Street
7

Turn left onto North Morris Avenue

1.7 mi · 4 min · North Morris Avenue
Use the straight lane.
8

Turn right onto I 55 Business

66 mi · 1 hr 11 min · South Veterans Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55

63 mi · 1 hr 7 min · I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
11

Turn right onto IL 140

0.7 mi · 1 min · East State Street
12

Continue on IL 140

9.6 mi · 13 min · State Route 140
13

Continue on IL 140

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Bethalto Drive
14

Turn right onto South Prairie Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Prairie Street
15

Turn left onto West Sherman Street

8 ft · 0 sec · West Sherman Street
16

Arrive at destination

West Sherman Street

Trip Plan

Given the 2-hour and 44-minute duration and local road nature, starting your drive in Bloomington, IL, after morning rush hour should provide a smooth departure. With only one stop suggested and a manageable 142.8-mile distance, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Plan for potential delays due to local traffic, especially as you approach Bethalto, IL. The estimated fuel cost of $22 is a good budget point, but always factor in a little extra. Keep an eye on your navigation system, as the turn-heavy profile means you'll be making frequent adjustments.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.4 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.7 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 31 miles or 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 71.4 miles or 1h 22m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 11m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bethalto, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Bloomington, 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 Bloomington, IL

This is one driving day of about 142.8 miles and 2h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Bloomington, 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 South Veterans Parkway for about 65.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Grandview, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Grandview, IL

71 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

Delavan, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Springfield, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 71.4 miles from Bloomington, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before South Veterans Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 65.7 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Star 66 Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Springfield, Illinois

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 61.2

Hours: Open 24 hours

+12175230611

Visit website

El Quetzalito Mexican Restaurant

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Divernon, Illinois

0.8 mi

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Grandview, Illinois

1.9 mi

Star 66 Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 61.2

Springfield, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+12175230611

Visit website

El Quetzalito Mexican Restaurant

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20 mile 81.6

Divernon, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+12176280000

Visit website

Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 61.2

Grandview, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+12175254952

Visit website

Coffeehouse in Uptown Normal

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Normal, Illinois

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+13094526774

Visit website

Signature Cafe

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+13095852588

Visit website

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour Inexpensiv mile 61.2

Springfield, Illinois

Hours: 10:30 am–10 pm

+12175445144

Visit website

Fort Jesse Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3 mi from route ~8 min detour $10 to $20

Normal, Illinois

Hours: 7 am–2 pm

+13094515656

Visit website

Pizza Ranch

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour Moderately mile 71.4

Springfield, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+12176798844

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 30.6

Lincoln, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+12177354444

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Normal, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Normal, Illinois

+13094549590

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

3.3 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 20.4

Atlanta, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+13096641222

Visit website

Tesla Destination Charger

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–12 pm

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Normal, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 68.3 — 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 | West Chestnut Street

Turn left onto West Chestnut Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 51 Business / North Center Street

Turn left onto US 51 Business / North Center Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | North Morris Avenue

Turn left onto North Morris Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
2.6 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 55 Business / South Veterans Parkway

Turn right onto I 55 Business / South Veterans Parkway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
68.3 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in | I 55

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.33 one way

$44.65 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 50 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $24.51 $49.02
premium $4.89 $27.48 $54.96
diesel $5.61 $31.53 $63.06

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 50 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42.8 0 $14.99 $6.85
Efficient EV 35.7 0 $12.50 $5.71
EV Truck/SUV 57.1 0 $19.99 $9.14

Gas CO2

50 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (66% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Bloomington, IL

Morning in Bloomington on Sunday

Local time

7:51 AM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bethalto, IL

Morning in Bethalto on Sunday

Local time

7:51 AM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Grandview, IL

71 mi in

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

5 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

2h 44m 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entire 142.8 miles, with 0% highway share. This means you'll be on surface streets and county roads for the duration of your 2-hour and 44-minute trip. The absence of long highway stretches suggests a more varied pace, with frequent turns and changes in speed limits. While there isn't a specific 'longest stretch' noted, be prepared for a continuous engagement with the local road network, rather than extended periods of cruising on a single highway.

97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 65.7 mi on South Veterans Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Veterans Parkway and I 55. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Chestnut Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 44m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (North Morris Avenue): 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 Bloomington, IL to Bethalto, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Greenville along the way.

Greenville

130.9 mi in | ~2h 26m

About the Cities

Starting in Bloomington, IL

Full guide →

Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.

Top landmarks

  • • David Davis Mansion — house museum in Bloomington, Illinois
  • • Bloomington Central Business District — historic and central business district in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois,...
  • • George H. Miller House — Bloomington, Illinois, listed on the National Register of Historic Places

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 2h 44m. Total distance: 142.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 65.7 miles on South Veterans Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (North Morris Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

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