The drive from Bloomington, IL to Morrison, IL covers 133.5 miles and takes about 2h 48m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 39, US 52, US 30 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 71.4 miles on I 39.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
66.7 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 39
71.4 mi
1h 16m
US 52
17.9 mi
26m
US 30
16.1 mi
22m
Lincoln Road
9 mi
12m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
7.3 mi
7m
North Main Street
3.8 mi
9m
North 43rd Road
2.4 mi
3m
East Lincoln Way
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 71.4 mi, about 1h 16m
Traffic on I-39
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~755 veh/hr typical
· worst 994
Quietest
1 AM
~66 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 100 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 Morrison, IL.
1
Start on US 51 Business
136 ft·5 sec·North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on US 51 Business
3.8 mi·9 min·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·58 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint LouisUse the right lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·40 sec
Exit 164Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
5
Continue on I 39; US 51
71 mi·1 hr 16 min·I 39; US 51
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·49 sec
Exit 72Toward US 34: Mendota, Earlville
7
Turn left onto US 34
2.4 mi·3 min·North 43rd Road
8
Continue on US 34
0.5 mi·52 sec·East 12th Street
9
Turn sharp right onto 4th Avenue
374 ft·15 sec·4th Avenue
10
At end of road, turn left onto Lincoln Avenue
249 ft·6 sec·Lincoln Avenue
11
Continue on 12th Street
0.2 mi·27 sec·12th Street
12
Continue on Meriden Street
0.5 mi·59 sec·Meriden Street
13
Turn right onto US 52; IL 251
0.4 mi·40 sec·13th Avenue
14
Turn left onto US 52
18 mi·26 min·US 52
15
Turn left onto US 30
16 mi·22 min·US 30
16
Turn left
32 ft·1 sec
17
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
18
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
0.6 mi·39 sec·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
19
Continue on I 88; IL 110
6.7 mi·7 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Exit 41
20
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward US 30: Clinton, Rock Falls, Sterling
21
Continue on Lincoln Road
9.0 mi·12 min·Lincoln Road
22
Continue on US 30
1.3 mi·2 min·East Lincoln Way
23
Turn right onto North Cherry Street
135 ft·6 sec·North Cherry Street
24
Arrive at destination
North Cherry Street
Trip Plan
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 66.7 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 71.4 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 29 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.7 miles or 1h 17m 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 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Morrison, 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 133.5 miles and 2h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 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 39 for about 71.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Home stretch
3.7 mi from route
~9 min detour
$10 to $20
Sterling, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–1 pm
+18155905472
Año Del Gallo
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour
Halfway reset
4.2 mi from route
~11 min detour
$20 to $30
Oglesby, Illinois
Hours: 3–11 pm
+17792131436
The Speakeasy at La Bella Notte
5.0
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Rock Falls, Illinois
Hours: 11:30 am–9:30 pm
+18157168559
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 79.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.9 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
7
4.3 mi into trip|~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 164
Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
6
76.2 mi into trip|~1h 27m in
Take the exit toward US 34: Mendota, Earlville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 72
Toward US 34: Mendota, Earlville
5
79.4 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|4th Avenue
Turn sharp right onto 4th Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
79.4 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|Lincoln Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Lincoln Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.70 one way
$41.40 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$22.70
$45.39
premium
$4.93
$25.90
$51.80
diesel
$5.60
$29.43
$58.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.1
0
$14.02
$6.41
Efficient EV
33.4
0
$11.68
$5.34
EV Truck/SUV
53.4
0
$18.69
$8.54
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 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 Aug 24, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Morning
in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
10:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Patchy Fog then Sunny
NW 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued August 24 at 6:46AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued August 24 at 6:34AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Destination
Morrison, IL
Morning
in Morrison on Friday
Local time
10:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Sunny
NW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued August 24 at 6:46AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued August 24 at 6:34AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
89°F
Garfield, IL
67 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
1 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 48m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
133.5 mi in 2h 48m, mostly highway — 71.4 mi of that is on I 39.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 71.4 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and US 52. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 48m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 76.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
842 ft631 ft
Total Climb
335 ft
Total Descent
454 ft
Highest Point
842 ft
~85.8 mi in
Elevation Range
211 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bloomington, IL and Morrison, IL, road signs point toward Earlville, Rock Falls and Sterling.
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
The longest stretch is about 71.4 miles on I 39. 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 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 76.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Morrison, IL before heading back.
