This 117.5-mile drive from Crest Hill, IL, to Champaign, IL, will take approximately 2 hours and 9 minutes. It's a straightforward trip that's easily manageable as a day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. You'll be navigating local roads for the entirety of this journey, with a projected fuel cost of around $18. The route primarily stays within the Midwest region, offering a consistent feel throughout. Consider this an efficient way to get from point A to point B without the complexities of highway driving.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.6 miles from Crest Hill, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
77.5 mi
1h 23m
South La Grange Road
10.1 mi
13m
Manhattan Road
5.3 mi
8m
Market Street
3.9 mi
6m
South Cedar Road
3.1 mi
4m
West North Street
2.3 mi
3m
South State Street
1.9 mi
3m
West Arsenal Road
1.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 77.5 mi, about 1h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crest Hill, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on Oakland Avenue
0.2 mi·39 sec·Oakland Avenue
2
At end of road, turn right onto IL 7
0.2 mi·31 sec·Theodore Street
3
Turn left onto North Raynor Avenue
1.0 mi·1 min·North Raynor Avenue
4
Turn slight left onto US 30
0.6 mi·1 min·Plainfield Road
5
Continue on US 30
0.4 mi·1 min·North Center Street
6
Turn left onto US 30
0.4 mi·1 min·West Jefferson Street
7
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53
0.2 mi·36 sec·Ottawa Street
8
Continue on US 6; IL 53
0.1 mi·21 sec·Ottawa Street
9
Continue on US 6; IL 53
1.0 mi·2 min·Chicago Street
10
Turn left onto US 52
0.1 mi·15 sec·Doris Avenue
11
Turn right onto US 52
0.3 mi·36 sec·Gardner Street
12
Continue on US 52
2.2 mi·3 min·Manhattan Road
13
Continue on US 52
3.1 mi·4 min·Manhattan Road
14
Continue on US 52
2.3 mi·3 min·West North Street
15
Continue on US 52
1.9 mi·3 min·South State Street
16
Continue on US 52
1.2 mi·1 min·US Route 52
17
Continue on US 52
3.1 mi·4 min·South Cedar Road
18
Continue on US 52
1.9 mi·2 min·West Arsenal Road
19
Continue on US 52
1.3 mi·1 min·West Joliet Road
20
Turn right onto US 45; US 52
10 mi·13 min·South La Grange Road
21
Turn left onto Bourbonnais Parkway
0.4 mi·40 sec·Bourbonnais Parkway
22
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
Toward I-57 South: Kankakee
23
Merge onto I 57
78 mi·1 hr 23 min·I 57
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi·26 sec
Exit 240Toward Market Street
25
Turn left
96 ft·5 sec
26
Turn left onto Market Street
3.9 mi·6 min·Market Street
27
Turn right onto East Bradley Avenue
0.3 mi·34 sec·East Bradley Avenue
28
Turn left onto North Neil Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Neil Street
29
Arrive at destination
North Neil Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2-hour duration, departing Crest Hill in the morning will get you to Champaign with plenty of daylight. Since this is a local drive with no long highway stretches, you can easily adjust your pace. Factor in potential delays at intersections, especially if you depart during peak local commute times. With a fuel cost estimate of $18, ensure your tank is adequately filled before you leave Crest Hill, as dedicated fuel stops might be less frequent than on interstate routes. The flexibility of this route means you can stop for necessities as needed without significant detours.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 57.6 miles from Crest Hill, IL, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.5 miles.
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 25 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.6 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Champaign, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Crest Hill, 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 Crest Hill, IL
This is one driving day of about 115.2 miles and 2h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Crest Hill, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 77.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 110 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|IL 7 / Theodore Street
At end of road, turn right onto IL 7 / Theodore Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
2.9 mi into trip|~6m in|US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
4
4.3 mi into trip|~10m in|US 52 / Doris Avenue
Turn left onto US 52 / Doris Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
4.4 mi into trip|~10m in|US 52 / Gardner Street
Turn right onto US 52 / Gardner Street
Navigation decision point
5
110 mi into trip|~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward Market Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 240
Toward Market Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.01 one way
$36.02 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.77
$39.55
premium
$4.89
$22.17
$44.34
diesel
$5.61
$25.43
$50.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.6
0
$12.10
$5.53
Efficient EV
28.8
0
$10.08
$4.61
EV Truck/SUV
46.1
0
$16.13
$7.37
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Crest Hill, IL
Late night
in Crest Hill on Sunday
Local time
5:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Champaign, IL
Late night
in Champaign on Sunday
Local time
5:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Otto, IL
58 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
18 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
2h 25m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this entire 117.5-mile trip, as the highway share is 0%. This means you'll be interacting with local traffic and signals for the full duration, so keep an eye on your navigation. While there isn't a specific longest uninterrupted stretch noted, the nature of local roads suggests frequent intersections and potential slowdowns. The drive progresses through residential and commercial areas, requiring constant attention to road signs and speed limits. It’s a route that demands your focus on the immediate surroundings rather than expansive vistas.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 77.5 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and South La Grange Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near IL 7 / Theodore Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 25m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IL 7 / Theodore Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.9 miles (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (US 52 / Doris Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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
The longest stretch is about 77.5 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IL 7 / Theodore Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.9 miles (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (US 52 / Doris Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Champaign, IL before heading back.
