Bloomington to La Grange Park is 123.9 miles and takes about 2 hours 30 minutes via I 55 and Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a straightforward drive that's mostly highway, making it a convenient option for a quick trip. The relatively short duration and clear route suggest it's well-suited for a same-day excursion.
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
62 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
111.5 mi
2h 4m
North Main Street
3.6 mi
8m
Tri-State Tollway
2.5 mi
3m
31st Street
2 mi
4m
Wolf Road
0.9 mi
1m
East Ogden Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
North East Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Kemman Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 111.5 mi, about 2h 4m
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 La Grange Park, 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
112 mi·2 hr 4 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
1.6 mi·3 min
Exit 277AToward I 294 Tollway North: WisconsinUse the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
7
Merge onto I 294
2.5 mi·3 min·Tri-State Tollway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Exit 27AToward US 34 East: Ogden AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto US 34
0.7 mi·1 min·East Ogden Avenue
10
Turn left onto Wolf Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Wolf Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto 31st Street
2.0 mi·4 min·31st Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Kemman Avenue
78 ft·7 sec·Kemman Avenue
13
Turn left
40 ft·3 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 123.9-mile drive, leaving in the morning is a good bet, allowing you to arrive well before evening. Since the total duration is around 2 hours 30 minutes, a single stop for fuel or a quick break is likely sufficient. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the tollway sections, as service areas can be spaced out. The 111.5-mile stretch on I 55 means you can cover most of the distance without significant detours, offering flexibility for your arrival time in La Grange Park.
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 62 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 111.5 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 27 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62 miles or 1h 14m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Grange Park, 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 123.9 miles and 2h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 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 111.5 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 121.9 — 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
7
115.7 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
7
120 mi into trip|~2h 21m in
Take the exit toward US 34 East: Ogden Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27A
Toward US 34 East: Ogden Avenue
6
121 mi into trip|~2h 23m in|Wolf Road
Turn left onto Wolf Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
121.9 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|31st Street
Turn right onto 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.90 one way
$37.80 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$20.82
$41.64
premium
$4.81
$23.44
$46.89
diesel
$5.40
$26.36
$52.71
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Tri-state Tollway
(2.5 mi)$0.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.4 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 $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.2
0
$13.01
$5.95
Efficient EV
31
0
$10.84
$4.96
EV Truck/SUV
49.6
0
$17.35
$7.93
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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 26, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Night
in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
11:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Mostly Clear
E 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
La Grange Park, IL
Night
in La Grange Park on Saturday
Local time
11:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog
NE 5 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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
2 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 30m 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...
16 mi from route
~41 min detour
Free
near mile 123.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 90% of the 123.9 miles on major roads like I 55 and the Tri-State Tollway. You'll experience a long stretch of 111.5 miles on I 55 before transitioning to surface streets like North Main Street. Given the highway percentage, anticipate a relatively fast pace with fewer interruptions until the final segment.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 111.5 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and North Main Street. 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 123.9 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 115.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 120 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 30m. Total distance: 123.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 111.5 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.15 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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 La Grange Park, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. 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 115.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 120 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at La Grange Park, IL before heading back.
