Origin
Brighton Park, IL
Late night in Brighton Park on Tuesday
Local time
4:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brighton Park, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
23.7 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brighton Park, IL
Expect Best
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Brighton Park, IL to Des Plaines, IL is 23.7 miles and takes about 40m via Kennedy Expressway, South Damen Avenue, and North Caldwell Avenue, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, connecting two points in Illinois. Expect a mixed drive that combines expressway speeds with more local road navigation. It's a straightforward journey, making it a good option if you're looking for a direct connection between these two areas without a significant time commitment. This route is perfect for a single-day trip, easily manageable within a few hours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| South Damen Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| West Ogden Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| South Archer Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 6.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brighton Park, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on this road
461 ft
·
38 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto South Sacramento Avenue
355 ft
·
26 sec
·
South Sacramento Avenue
3
Turn sharp left onto South Archer Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Archer Avenue
4
Turn left onto South Damen Avenue
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto US 66 Hist
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 90; I 94
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 94
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 41A
Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn slight right onto US 14
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
11
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn slight right onto Busse Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Busse Highway
13
Turn slight left onto Oakton Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Oakton Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
15
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 15.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Sacramento Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto South Sacramento Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Archer Avenue
Turn sharp left onto South Archer Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
South Damen Avenue
Turn left onto South Damen Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Turn left toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
15.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41A
Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.71 one way
$7.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.56 | $9.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Destination
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
4:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
40m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a 37% highway share, meaning you'll experience a blend of quicker travel and more urban driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 6.5 miles on the Kennedy Expressway, allowing for a period of consistent speed. As you transition from the expressway to streets like South Damen Avenue and North Caldwell Avenue, the pace will naturally slow. You'll navigate through varied environments, from faster arterial roads to potentially busier local streets as you approach your destination. Expect the road's character to shift as you get closer to Des Plaines.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on Kennedy Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Sacramento Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 23.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 (South Sacramento Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (South Archer Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.8 miles (South Damen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 23.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.5 miles on Kennedy Expressway. 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 Des Plaines, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Sacramento Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (South Archer Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.8 miles (South Damen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Des Plaines, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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