Origin
Champaign, IL
Afternoon in Champaign on Friday
Local time
3:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 23m
Distance
184.2 mi
296 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Champaign, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Moline, IL
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Champaign, IL to Moline, IL covers 184.2 miles and takes about 3h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 74, I 474, North Randolph Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 166.2 miles on I 74. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92.1 miles from Champaign, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 42m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 74 | 166.2 mi | 2h 59m |
| I 474 | 14 mi | 14m |
| North Randolph Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Bloomington Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Prospect Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 19th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West University Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,376 veh/hr typical · worst 1,701
Quietest
2 AM
~91 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 95 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Champaign, IL and Moline, IL.
Start on North Neil Street
Turn right onto West University Avenue
Turn right onto North Randolph Street
At end of road, turn left onto West Bradley Avenue
Turn slight right onto Bloomington Road
Turn right onto US 150
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 74
Take the exit onto I 74
Keep slight left at fork onto I 474
Take the exit
Merge onto I 74
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74
Take the exit
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
Turn slight right
Turn slight right onto 19th Street
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 41 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92.1 miles or 1h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Moline, IL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Champaign, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Champaign, IL
This is one driving day of about 184.2 miles and 3h 23m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
92 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.
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 92.1 miles from Champaign, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 74 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 166.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 180 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto West Bradley Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 74 West: Bloomington
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 474 toward I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74 toward I 74 West, I 280 West: Moline, Rock Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74 toward I 74 West, US 6 West: Moline
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$28.56 one way
$57.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $31.31 | $62.63 |
| premium | $4.93 | $35.74 | $71.48 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $40.60 | $81.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 55.3 | 0 | $19.34 | $8.84 |
| Efficient EV | 46.1 | 0 | $16.12 | $7.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.7 | 0 | $25.79 | $11.79 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Champaign on Friday
Local time
3:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Moline on Friday
Local time
3:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
184.2 mi in 3h 23m, mostly highway — 166.2 mi of that is on I 74.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and I 474. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near West Bradley Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 184.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (West Bradley Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 83.1 miles (I 474): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
260 ft
Total Descent
419 ft
Highest Point
775 ft
~52.6 mi in
Elevation Range
210 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Champaign, IL to Moline, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Island along the way.
Rock Island
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
Founded 1848
Moline is one of the Quad Cities in Western Illinois. Moline's downtown serves as one of the civic and recreational hubs of the Quad Cities; many events take place at the 12,000-seat TaxSlayer Center (formerly known as The MARK of the Quad Cities and iWireless Center) and at John Deere Commons.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 23m. Total distance: 184.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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