If you are looking for a quick getaway from Cicero to North Aurora, this 35-mile trip is an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. You can expect to spend about 47 minutes behind the wheel, making it a highly efficient route for those who prefer to spend their time at the destination rather than on the road. With a budget of just $5 for fuel, this is an incredibly cost-effective trip for a weekend outing. You will be traveling entirely within the Midwest, moving from Cicero to North Aurora without the need for an overnight stay. Since the route requires zero planned stops, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows. This drive is a straightforward local transit that connects two Illinois points with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
23.9 mi
29m
Eisenhower Expressway
7.1 mi
9m
South Laramie Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
South Lincolnway Street
0.9 mi
2m
West Flournoy Street
0.5 mi
<1m
West State Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 23.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cicero, IL and North Aurora, IL.
1
Start on South Laramie Avenue
1.8 mi·3 min·South Laramie Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn left onto West Flournoy Street
0.5 mi·55 sec·West Flournoy Street
3
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·25 sec·this road
Toward I 290 WestUse the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
7.1 mi·9 min·Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
1.9 mi·2 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15AToward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, IndianaUse the slight left lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
22 mi·26 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 117Toward IL 31, IL 56 EastUse the right lane.
8
Turn left onto IL 31; IL 56
0.9 mi·2 min·South Lincolnway Street
9
Turn left onto West State Street
68 ft·3 sec·West State Street
Use the left lane.
10
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Cicero, 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 35 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.5 mi into trip|~4m in|I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge onto I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
9.6 mi into trip|~14m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
11.5 mi into trip|~17m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
33.5 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
6
35 mi into trip|~47m in|West State Street
Turn left onto West State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.94 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg12 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$6.01
$12.02
premium
$4.89
$6.74
$13.47
diesel
$5.61
$7.73
$15.46
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(23.9 mi)$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
10.5
0
$3.68
$1.68
Efficient EV
8.8
0
$3.06
$1.40
EV Truck/SUV
14
0
$4.90
$2.24
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Cicero, IL
Late night
in Cicero on Tuesday
Local time
4:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 to 15 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 4:39PM CDT until April 29 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 4:38PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
North Aurora, IL
Late night
in North Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
4:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 to 15 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 4:39PM CDT until April 29 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 4:38PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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
2 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
47m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you transition between urban and suburban settings. While you will spend about 20% of your travel time on highways, the experience is defined by navigating local roads like South Laramie Avenue. You will eventually merge onto the Eisenhower Expressway and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway to cover the bulk of the distance. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 23.9-mile segment on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, providing a brief period of steady cruising. The road’s personality shifts from the dense, multi-turn local streets of Cicero to the more open, high-speed flow of the tollway, requiring you to stay alert for rapid changes in traffic patterns.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.9 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 2.5 miles in near I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway.
Driving Effort7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 35 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.5 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
772 ft604 ft
Total Climb
255 ft
Total Descent
179 ft
Highest Point
772 ft
~19 mi in
Elevation Range
168 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cicero, IL and North Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Cicero is a town of 81,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland area, just west of the Chicago city limits. It became famous when gangster Al Capone moved here to escape from the Chicago Police in the early 1920s.
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 35 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.43 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan 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.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 North Aurora, 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: at 2.5 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.5 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at North Aurora, IL before heading back.
