Rail Splitter Rest Area - Southbound
0 mi from route
Trip from Bloomington, IL to Chester, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 8m
Distance
206.8 mi
333 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 56m
★
6 AM
4h 9m
8 AM
4h 35m
10 AM
4h 18m
12 PM
4h 15m
3 PM
4h 19m
5 PM
4h 34m
8 PM
4h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chester, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bloomington to Chester is 206.8 miles and takes about 4h 8m via I 55 and IL 3, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest's varied landscapes. It's primarily a highway trip, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B. With a recommended one-day drive, you'll have plenty of time to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
103.4 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 56m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 77.9 mi | 1h 23m |
| South Veterans Parkway | 65.7 mi | 1h 11m |
| IL 3 | 23.3 mi | 28m |
| North Illinois Street | 9.8 mi | 15m |
| South Illinois Street | 8.3 mi | 12m |
| Main Street | 8 mi | 11m |
| State Route 159 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Vandalia Street | 3 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 77.9 mi, about 1h 23m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,806 veh/hr typical · worst 2,393
Quietest
2 AM
~158 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Chester, 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
78 mi
·
1 hr 23 min
·
I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 15A
Toward IL 159 South: Collinsville
11
Continue on IL 159
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Vandalia Street
12
Continue on IL 159
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Morrison Avenue
13
Continue on IL 159
9.8 mi
·
15 min
·
North Illinois Street
14
Enter roundabout onto IL 159
181 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Illinois Street
15
Continue on IL 159
8.3 mi
·
12 min
·
South Illinois Street
16
Continue on IL 159
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
State Route 159
17
Continue on IL 156; IL 159
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Main Street
18
Continue on IL 159
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
N Main St
19
Continue on IL 159
8.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Main Street
20
Continue on IL 3
23 mi
·
28 min
·
IL 3
21
Turn right onto IL 3; IL 150
386 ft
·
6 sec
·
State Street
22
Turn right onto East Stacey Street
125 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Stacey Street
23
Arrive at destination
East Stacey Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4-hour drive, consider leaving Bloomington in the morning to arrive in Chester with ample daylight. The fuel cost is estimated at $32, so ensure your tank is full before departing. With only one recommended stop and a mostly highway profile, you can easily complete this in a single day. Pay attention to the transition from I 55 to IL 3; this is where the character of the drive changes, and you'll want to be mindful of local road conditions.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 103.4 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.9 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 45 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.4 miles or 1h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chester, 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 206.8 miles and 4h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 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 I 55 for about 77.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
103 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 45 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 103.4 miles from Bloomington, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 77.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Homestead Rest Area - Southbound
0 mi from route
Rail Splitter Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Dixie Trucker's Home
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Coalfield Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Funks Grove Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Homestead Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.3 mi from route
Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.4 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.5 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.6 mi from route
TA
1.2 mi from route
Rest Area
1.7 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 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.
7
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. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.50 one way
$68.99 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
72 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $37.49 | $74.99 |
| premium | $5.26 | $42.82 | $85.63 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $50.31 | $100.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 62 | 0 | $21.71 | $9.93 |
| Efficient EV | 51.7 | 0 | $18.10 | $8.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 82.7 | 1 | $28.95 | $13.24 |
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Morning in Bloomington on Monday
Local time
6:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
35°F
Areas Of Frost
S 7 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Chester, IL
Morning in Chester on Monday
Local time
6:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
31°F
Areas Of Frost
SE 1 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 8m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 64.2
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 84% of this trip on highways, with the longest continuous stretch on I 55 covering 77.9 miles. The highway portion will likely feel like efficient cruising with fewer interruptions. As you transition to IL 3, expect a change in the road's pace and potentially more local traffic as you approach Chester. This route offers a clear shift from interstate travel to more direct, surface-road navigation.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 77.9 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and South Veterans Parkway. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Chestnut Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 206.8 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 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
796 ft
434 ft
Total Climb
350 ft
Total Descent
474 ft
Highest Point
796 ft
Elevation Range
361 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Bloomington, IL
Full guide →Founded 1857
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
Arriving in Chester, IL
Full guide →Founded 1829
Top landmarks
- • Christian F. Weinrich House — house in Chester, Illinois
- • Frederick Weistar House — house in Chester, Illinois, United States
- • Old Fire Station — fire station in Chester, 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 4h 8m. Total distance: 206.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 77.9 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Chester, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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