Bloomington, IL to Chicago Heights, IL is 116.8 miles and takes about 2h 25m via I 55 and I 57, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest's heartland. Expect a straightforward trip primarily on major interstates, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently. It's well-suited for a single-day drive with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.4 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
73 mi
1h 18m
I 57
13 mi
13m
West Wilmington Road
12.3 mi
17m
Lincoln Highway
5 mi
10m
West Peotone Road
4 mi
5m
North Main Street
3.6 mi
8m
Stripmine Road
1.6 mi
2m
South Chicago Road
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 73 mi, about 1h 18m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,093 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,450
Quietest
2 AM
~146 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 43 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 Chicago Heights, IL.
1
Start on US 51 Business
136 ft·5 sec·North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on US 51 Business
3.6 mi·8 min·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 55 North: ChicagoUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 55
73 mi·1 hr 18 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward IL 129 South: Wilmington
6
Turn straight onto IL 129
0.4 mi·40 sec·Washington Street
7
Turn left onto CH 29
1.6 mi·2 min·Stripmine Road
8
At end of road, turn left onto IL 53
256 ft·6 sec·West Baltimore Street
9
Continue on IL 53
0.5 mi·1 min·West Balitmore Street
10
Continue on IL 53
0.2 mi·28 sec·Bridge Street
11
Continue on IL 53
0.6 mi·1 min·East Baltimore Street
12
Continue on IL 53
0.8 mi·1 min·South Chicago Road
13
Turn right onto CH 25
4.0 mi·5 min·West Peotone Road
14
Continue on CH 25
12 mi·17 min·West Wilmington Road
15
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I-57 North: Chicago
16
Merge onto I 57
13 mi·13 min·I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 340Toward US 30: Lincoln HighwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·12 sec
Exit 340Toward US 30 East: Lincoln HighwayUse the left / right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto US 30
5.0 mi·10 min·Lincoln Highway
20
Continue on US 30
0.3 mi·1 min·East Lincoln Highway
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
South Halsted Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short 2h 25m duration, this trip is easily completed in a single day. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the busiest commuter traffic, especially as you approach the Chicago area. You'll only need one fuel stop, costing around $18, so plan that for after leaving Bloomington. With only 116.8 miles, there's no need to rush; you can take your time and enjoy the drive without feeling pressured.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 58.4 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73 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 26 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.4 miles or 1h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chicago Heights, 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 116.8 miles and 2h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Bloomington, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 73 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.6 and 111.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.6 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 55 North: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
5
4.1 mi into trip|~9m in|I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
97.8 mi into trip|~1h 59m in
Take the ramp toward I-57 North: Chicago
Navigation decision point
Toward I-57 North: Chicago
7
111.1 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 30: Lincoln Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 340
Toward US 30: Lincoln Highway
9
111.4 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 30 East: Lincoln Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Exit 340
Toward US 30 East: Lincoln Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.82 one way
$35.64 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$19.63
$39.25
premium
$4.81
$22.10
$44.20
diesel
$5.40
$24.85
$49.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
EV Charging Along Route
28 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Bloomington, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Normal, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Rivian Waypoints
Normal, Illinois
Rivian
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Bloomington, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Bloomington, Illinois
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Other: 9
ChargePoint: 9
Tesla: 3
Rivian: 2
Tesla Destination: 2
Electrify America: 1
EV Connect: 1
Shell Recharge: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35
0
$12.26
$5.61
Efficient EV
29.2
0
$10.22
$4.67
EV Truck/SUV
46.7
0
$16.35
$7.48
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 26, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Night
in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
11:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Mostly Clear
E 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:00PM CDT until April 29 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Chicago Heights, IL
Night
in Chicago Heights on Saturday
Local time
11:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Partly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
ENE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:00PM CDT until April 29 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 25m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 116.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is 74% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on interstates. The longest stretch without a major road change is 73 miles on I 55. You'll encounter a high density of exits on the interstate portions, so stay alert for merging traffic. The transition to West Wilmington Road marks the end of the highway cruising.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 57. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 116.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 3.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 97.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
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
Chicago Heights is a city of 29,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland region of Illinois. Chicago Heights remains one of the most dangerous cities in Illinois, with rampant poverty and high levels of violent crime.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 25m. Total distance: 116.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 73 miles on I 55. 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 Chicago Heights, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 97.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chicago Heights, IL before heading back.
