The drive from Bloomington, IL to Wood Dale, IL covers 130.8 miles and takes about 2h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, Veterans Memorial Tollway, North Main Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 103.2 miles on I 55.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.28 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
65.4 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 55
103.2 mi
1h 53m
Veterans Memorial Tollway
17.7 mi
22m
North Main Street
3.6 mi
8m
East Irving Park Road
1.7 mi
3m
West Bloomingdale Road
1.3 mi
3m
North Rohlwing Road
0.6 mi
1m
Lake Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
North East Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 103.2 mi, about 1h 53m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,464
Quietest
2 AM
~148 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 73 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 Wood Dale, 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
103 mi·1 hr 53 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 269Toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest SuburbsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·2 min
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
7
Merge onto I 355
18 mi·22 min·Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 31Toward US 20: Lake StreetUse the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto US 20
493 ft·10 sec·Lake Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto IL 53
0.6 mi·1 min·North Rohlwing Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto West Bloomingdale Road
1.3 mi·3 min·West Bloomingdale Road
12
At end of road, turn right onto IL 19
1.7 mi·3 min·East Irving Park Road
13
Arrive at destination
IL 19
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 65.4 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 103.2 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 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.4 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wood Dale, 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 130.8 miles and 2h 38m.
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 55 for about 103.2 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 126.7 — 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.
8
107.3 mi into trip|~2h 3m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 269
Toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest...
5
107.8 mi into trip|~2h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
7
126.7 mi into trip|~2h 28m in
Take the exit toward US 20: Lake Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.28 one way
$40.56 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$22.24
$44.47
premium
$4.93
$25.38
$50.75
diesel
$5.60
$28.83
$57.67
Estimated Tolls: $1.24
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(17.7 mi)$1.24
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
$20
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.2
0
$13.73
$6.28
Efficient EV
32.7
0
$11.45
$5.23
EV Truck/SUV
52.3
0
$18.31
$8.37
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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 Sep 4, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Late night
in Bloomington on Sunday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Mostly Sunny
WSW 7 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 4 at 4:28PM CDT until September 4 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued September 4 at 4:28PM CDT until September 5 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Wood Dale, IL
Late night
in Wood Dale on Sunday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 4 at 4:28PM CDT until September 4 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued September 4 at 4:28PM CDT until September 5 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA 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
6 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 38m 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...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 108.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
130.8 mi in 2h 38m, mostly highway — 103.2 mi of that is on I 55.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 103.2 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and Veterans Memorial Tollway. 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 130.8 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 107.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
796 ft551 ft
Total Climb
290 ft
Total Descent
395 ft
Highest Point
796 ft
Elevation Range
245 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bloomington, IL to Wood Dale, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Southwest Suburbs along the way.
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 38m. Total distance: 130.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 103.2 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.24 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans Memorial 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 Wood Dale, 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 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 107.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wood Dale, IL before heading back.
