Origin
Champaign, IL
Late night in Champaign on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Champaign, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
39.6 mi
64 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cerro Gordo, IL
Ton Souza
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward trip across the Illinois Midwest, the 39.6-mile trek from Champaign to Cerro Gordo is an efficient option. You can comfortably complete this drive in about 54 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Budgeting roughly $6 for fuel should cover your needs for the entire journey. Because the distance is relatively short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or mid-route lodging. This route is purely functional, prioritizing direct access between these two Midwestern communities via I-72 and local streets.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 72 | 26.8 mi | 29m |
| North Main Street | 8.3 mi | 14m |
| West Church Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| East 1500 North Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| IL 48 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Jackson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Randolph Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Carter Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 72
— 26.8 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Champaign, IL and Cerro Gordo, IL.
1
Start on North Neil Street
42 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Neil Street
2
Turn right onto West University Avenue
463 ft
·
17 sec
·
West University Avenue
3
Turn right onto North Randolph Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Randolph Street
4
Turn left onto West Church Street
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West Church Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on I 72
27 mi
·
29 min
·
I 72
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 156
Toward IL 48: Cisco, Weldon
7
Turn left onto IL 48
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
IL 48
8
Turn left onto IL 32
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East 1500 North Road
9
Turn right onto IL 32
8.3 mi
·
14 min
·
North Main Street
10
Continue on IL 32
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Carter Street
11
Turn left onto IL 32
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
North Jackson Street
12
Turn right onto East South Street
465 ft
·
25 sec
·
East South Street
13
Turn left onto Monroe Street
166 ft
·
7 sec
·
Monroe Street
14
Arrive at destination
Monroe Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Champaign, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West University Avenue
Turn right onto West University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Randolph Street
Turn right onto North Randolph Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Church Street
Turn left onto West Church Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
29 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward IL 48: Cisco, Weldon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 156
Toward IL 48: Cisco, Weldon
5
39.3 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
IL 32 / North Jackson Street
Turn left onto IL 32 / North Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.19 one way
$12.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.80 | $13.59 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.62 | $15.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.74 | $17.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Cerro Gordo, IL
Late night in Cerro Gordo on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Monticello, IL
20 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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?
This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 69% of your time spent on major routes. You will find yourself cruising along I-72 for the majority of the journey, including a longest uninterrupted stretch of 26.8 miles. Once you exit the interstate, the character of the drive shifts as you transition onto North Main Street and West Church Street to reach your destination. Expect a steady, predictable pace behind the wheel that favors efficiency over technical maneuvering. It is a no-nonsense commute that gets you from point A to point B without unnecessary complexity.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.8 mi on I 72.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and North Main Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West University Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 54m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Randolph Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Church Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
746 ft
672 ft
Total Climb
124 ft
Total Descent
116 ft
Highest Point
746 ft
~2.8 mi in
Elevation Range
75 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Champaign, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Weldon along the way.
Weldon
29 mi in
|
~34m
About the Cities
Starting in Champaign, IL
Full guide →Founded 1855
Champaign-Urbana is a metropolitan area in central Illinois, composed of the towns of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. The community is the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, one of the great public universities of the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Orpheum Theatre — theater and movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Virginia Theatre — movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Cattle Bank — bank building in Champaign, United States of America
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 54m. Total distance: 39.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.8 miles on I 72. 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: near the start (West University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Randolph Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Church Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cerro Gordo, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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