Origin
Brighton Park, IL
Late night in Brighton Park on Tuesday
Local time
4:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brighton Park, IL to Evanston, 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
34m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brighton Park, IL
Expect Best
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Brighton Park, IL to Evanston, IL is 17.3 miles and takes about 34 minutes via North Western Avenue and Kennedy Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a more involved local drive than a simple highway cruise, with frequent turns guiding you through urban and suburban landscapes. It's a straightforward journey perfect for a quick hop between Chicago neighborhoods or suburbs, ideal for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Western Avenue | 5.5 mi | 11m |
| South Damen Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Ogden Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| South Archer Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Clybourn Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Damen Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Western Avenue
— 5.5 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brighton Park, IL and Evanston, 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
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto North Damen Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Damen Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn slight left onto North Clybourn Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Clybourn Avenue
11
Turn right onto North Western Avenue
5.5 mi
·
11 min
·
North Western Avenue
12
Continue on Asbury Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Asbury Avenue
13
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
14
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 17.3 — 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
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
8.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 47B
Toward Damen Avenue
7
17.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.70 one way
$5.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.97 | $5.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.33 | $6.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Evanston, IL
Late night in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
4:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
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
34m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating more city streets than open highway. With only a 12% highway share, expect a dynamic driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.5 miles on North Western Avenue, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you transition back to more frequent turns. The drive progresses through varied urban and suburban settings, requiring your attention to traffic signals and intersections.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.5 mi on North Western Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 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 17.3 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 (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 6.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 34m. Total distance: 17.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.5 miles on North Western Avenue. 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 Evanston, 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 6.5 miles: 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 Evanston, 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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