Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
62.5 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Marengo, IL
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning a quick getaway from Chicago to Marengo, you can expect to cover 62.5 miles in about 1 hour and 23 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is short enough to avoid the need for an overnight stay. You will navigate using the Kennedy Expressway, the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, and East Grant Highway to reach your destination. Budgeting approximately $9 for fuel should keep you covered for the entire journey. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, you will stay firmly within the region for the duration of your travel. It is a straightforward route that offers a practical balance of city transit and local road driving.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 35.1 mi | 37m |
| East Grant Highway | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| West Higgins Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| West Bryn Mawr Avenue | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Northwest Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Marengo, IL.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90; I 94
Continue on I 90; I 94
Take the exit
Turn left onto West Montrose Avenue
Turn right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
Turn left onto North Northwest Highway
Continue on North Northwest Highway
Turn slight left onto West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Continue on IL 72
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
At end of road, turn left onto US 20
Continue on US 20
Enter roundabout onto US 20
Continue on US 20
Enter roundabout onto US 20
Continue on US 20
Turn right onto IL 23
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Chicago, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 53.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Montrose Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 20: Hampshire, Marengo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$9.77 one way
$19.54 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.73 | $21.46 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.03 | $24.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.80 | $27.60 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.45
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$2
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.56 | $3.00 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25 | 0 | $8.75 | $4.00 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Widespread Fog
Destination
Morning in Marengo on Tuesday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
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
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.
Expect a mix of driving conditions as you transition from the city out to Marengo. About 14% of your journey is spent on major highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 35.1 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. Once you exit the tollway, the character of the drive shifts into a turn-heavy local experience. You will move from the fast-paced flow of the Kennedy Expressway into more technical maneuvering on secondary roads. This combination keeps the drive engaging, requiring you to stay alert as the environment changes from dense urban infrastructure to the more localized feel of East Grant Highway.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.5 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 62.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m 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.
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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