Origin
Bruce, IL
Late night in Bruce on Sunday
Local time
2:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bruce, IL to Bloomington, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 54m
Distance
79.4 mi
128 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 46m
★
6 AM
1h 55m
8 AM
2h 11m
10 AM
2h 0m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 1m
5 PM
2h 10m
8 PM
1h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bruce, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 87.4-mile drive from Bruce, IL to Bloomington, IL is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 43 minutes. As a single-day excursion, it's ideal, requiring no overnight stays. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $13, making it an economical option. You'll primarily be navigating local roads, with Highway 4 and portions of North Hamilton Street and North Water Street forming the backbone of your route. This drive stays within the Midwest region, offering a familiar landscape as you travel from one Illinois community to another.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.7 miles from Bruce, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Water Street | 27.5 mi | 36m |
| IL 32 | 22.9 mi | 32m |
| North 1450 East Road | 17.6 mi | 23m |
| North Hamilton Street | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| US 36 | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| County Highway 4 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South East Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North East Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Water Street
— 27.5 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bruce, IL and Bloomington, IL.
1
Start on this road
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto CTH 4
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway 4
3
Turn right onto IL 32
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
North Hamilton Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto IL 32; IL 121
23 mi
·
32 min
·
IL 32; IL 121
5
Turn left onto US 36; IL 121
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
US 36; IL 121
6
Turn right onto US 51 Business
27 mi
·
36 min
·
North Water Street
7
Continue on US 51
18 mi
·
23 min
·
North 1450 East Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 51 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South East Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Arrive at destination
US 51 Business
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 43 minutes, this trip is perfect for a spontaneous departure. You can leave Bruce, IL at your leisure, perhaps after a relaxed morning. Since there are no designated stops and the drive is not excessively long, you can easily complete it in one go without needing to break it up. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $13, and plan to refuel if necessary before you depart or upon arrival in Bloomington. A good tip for this route is to familiarize yourself with the sequence of main roads—Highway 4, North Hamilton Street, and North Water Street—before you set off to minimize unexpected turns.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.7 miles from Bruce, IL, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.5 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 17 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.7 miles or 1h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bloomington, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bruce, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bruce, IL
This is one driving day of about 79.4 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Bruce, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on North Water Street for about 27.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.7 miles from Bruce, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 33.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CTH 4 / County Highway 4
Turn left onto CTH 4 / County Highway 4
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IL 32 / North Hamilton Street
Turn right onto IL 32 / North Hamilton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
3
6.4 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
IL 32; IL 121
Turn left onto IL 32; IL 121
Navigation decision point
3
33.9 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
US 51 Business / North Water Street
Turn right onto US 51 Business / North Water Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.41 one way
$24.83 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.63 | $27.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.28 | $30.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.53 | $35.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.34 | $3.81 |
| Efficient EV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.95 | $3.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.8 | 0 | $11.12 | $5.08 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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
Bloomington, IL
Late night in Bloomington on Sunday
Local time
2:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
21 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
1h 54m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with no highway mileage contributing to the total. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, suggesting frequent intersections and changes in direction. You'll be navigating through local roads for the entire 87.4 miles, so be prepared for a more engaged driving experience. This profile means you'll be passing through towns and residential areas more consistently than on a highway route, requiring attention to speed limits and local traffic patterns.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.5 mi on North Water Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CTH 4 / County Highway 4.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bruce, IL to Bloomington, IL is easy. At 1h 54m with 36% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CTH 4 / County Highway 4): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (IL 32 / North Hamilton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (IL 32; IL 121): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Bruce, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Bloomington, IL
Full guide →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
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 1h 54m. Total distance: 79.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.5 miles on North Water Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (CTH 4 / County Highway 4): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (IL 32 / North Hamilton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (IL 32; IL 121): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bloomington, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Bloomington, IL
More trips to Bloomington, IL
Explore more options from Bruce, IL or browse trips ending in Bloomington, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.