Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
46.1 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monticello, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Bloomington, IL to Monticello, IL is 46.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I 74, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward drive. The route is primarily highway, so expect a quick transit between these two points. It's a good option if you're looking for a simple, direct connection without a lot of fuss. Consider this for a quick errand or a brief leg of a larger journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 74 | 23.2 mi | 24m |
| North 525 East Road | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| County Highway 5 | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Royal Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| East Clinton Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Center Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| CR 5 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Monticello, IL.
Start on US 51 Business
Continue on US 51 Business
Turn left onto West Chestnut Street
Turn left onto US 51 Business
Continue on US 51 Business
Continue on US 51 Business
Continue on US 51 Business
Take the exit
Merge onto I 74
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 54
Turn left onto CR 4
Continue on CR 4
Continue on County Highway 5
Continue on North 525 East Road
Continue on North 550 East Road
Turn right onto IL 10
Turn left onto North Highway Avenue
Continue on North 525 East Road
Turn straight onto County Highway 5
Turn straight onto Deland Monticello Road
Continue on CR 5
Continue on East 1700 North Road
Turn straight onto West Bridge Street
Continue on West Brige Street
Continue on West Center Street
Continue on West Bridge Street
Turn straight onto West Center Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23 miles from Bloomington, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 27.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West Chestnut Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto US 51 Business / North Center Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward I 74 East: Champaign
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Take the exit toward IL 54: Farmer City, Gibson City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 54 / East Clinton Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$7.21 one way
$14.41 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.91 | $15.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.87 | $17.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.18 | $20.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
10:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
35°F
Mostly Clear then Areas Of Frost
Destination
Morning in Monticello on Tuesday
Local time
10:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
You'll spend about 61% of your time on the highway, specifically I 74. The longest stretch without exiting is 23.2 miles on I 74. After leaving the interstate, you'll transition to surface roads like North 525 East Road and County Highway 5. Expect a noticeable shift from higher-speed cruising to more typical rural road speeds as you approach Monticello.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and North 525 East Road. You will hit about 10 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.
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 46.1 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 0.1 miles (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bloomington, IL to Monticello, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Gibson City along the way.
Gibson City
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
Monticello is a city of 5,500 people (2019) in Central Illinois. For the visitor, it offers a railroad museum, an art-and-sculpture garden, and some beautiful historic homes.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 46.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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