Origin
Buffalo Grove, IL
Afternoon in Buffalo Grove on Sunday
Local time
3:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buffalo Grove, IL to Rockford, 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 27m
Distance
67.5 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buffalo Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 67.5-mile drive from Buffalo Grove, IL, to Rockford, IL, is a straightforward journey that takes about 1 hour and 27 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $11, it's an economical option for a day trip. The route primarily utilizes the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a relatively quick connection between these two Midwest locations. Given its short duration and direct path, this trip is easily manageable in a single day without the need for an overnight stay. You'll find it to be a practical and efficient way to travel within Illinois.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 43.7 mi | 46m |
| East Dundee Road | 7.9 mi | 12m |
| East State Street | 6 mi | 10m |
| Lake Cook Road | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| New Sutton Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| North Hicks Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East Jefferson Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Buffalo Grove Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 43.7 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo Grove, IL and Rockford, IL.
1
Start on Aptakisic Road
60 ft
·
5 sec
·
Aptakisic Road
2
Turn right onto South Buffalo Grove Road
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
South Buffalo Grove Road
3
Turn left onto Lake Cook Road
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Lake Cook Road
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
Lake Cook Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto North Hicks Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Hicks Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto IL 68
7.9 mi
·
12 min
·
East Dundee Road
7
Continue on IL 59
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
New Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
9
Merge onto I 90
44 mi
·
46 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward US 20 Business, State Street
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
12
Turn straight onto US 20 Business
6.0 mi
·
10 min
·
East State Street
13
Turn right onto US 20 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
14
Turn left onto North Wyman Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Wyman Street
15
Turn right onto West State Street
75 ft
·
2 sec
·
West State Street
16
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.8 miles from Buffalo Grove, 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
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 60.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Buffalo Grove Road
Turn right onto South Buffalo Grove Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lake Cook Road
Turn left onto Lake Cook Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Lake Cook Road
Keep slight left at fork onto Lake Cook Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
16.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
60.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 20 Business, State Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 Business, State Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.55 one way
$21.11 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.59 | $23.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.99 | $25.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.90 | $29.81 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.06
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(43.7 mi)
$3.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Tolls
$3
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.09 | $3.24 |
| Efficient EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27 | 0 | $9.45 | $4.32 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Rockford, IL
Afternoon in Rockford on Sunday
Local time
3:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Isolated Rain Showers
NW 5 to 10 mph
21% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:29PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
5 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
1h 27m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share suggesting a more varied road experience than a typical interstate cruise. While there's a significant stretch of 43.7 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, the overall profile indicates a journey that weaves through local roads more than it sticks to high-speed limited-access highways. This means you'll likely encounter more varied speed limits and traffic patterns as you transition between the tollway and local arteries like East Dundee Road and East State Street.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.7 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Buffalo Grove Road.
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 67.5 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: near the start (South Buffalo Grove Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Lake Cook Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (Lake Cook Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Buffalo Grove, IL
Full guide →Founded 1958
Buffalo Grove is a village in Chicagoland, in both Lake and Cook counties, around 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.
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 27m. Total distance: 67.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.7 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.06 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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 Rockford, 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: near the start (South Buffalo Grove Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Lake Cook Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (Lake Cook Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rockford, 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.
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