Origin
Crest Hill, IL
Late night in Crest Hill on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crest Hill, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
41.2 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Crest Hill, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 41.2-mile drive from Crest Hill, IL to Des Plaines, IL is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes. You'll primarily navigate via the Tri-State Tollway and the Adlai Stevenson Expressway, with Independence Boulevard also playing a role. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $6. Given its short distance and direct nature, this route is best suited for a single day of travel. Both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region, so you won't be crossing any major geographical boundaries. This trip offers a straightforward connection between two Illinois locales.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 16.6 mi | 20m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 7.8 mi | 10m |
| Independence Boulevard | 5.4 mi | 9m |
| Broadway Street | 3 mi | 5m |
| Joliet Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Theodore Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Oakland Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 16.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crest Hill, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on Oakland Avenue
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Oakland Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto IL 7
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Theodore Street
3
Turn left onto IL 7; IL 53
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Broadway Street
4
Continue on IL 53
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Independence Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on Joliet Road
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Joliet Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
108 ft
·
2 sec
Toward I 355 South Toll, I 55 North: Suburbs, Chicago
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
8
Merge onto I 55
7.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.6 mi
·
3 min
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
11
Merge onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the right lane.
17
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
325 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Touhy Avenue
18
Turn slight right
339 ft
·
9 sec
19
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
20
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Crest Hill, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 19.7 and 38.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
19.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
6
26.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
38.2 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
7
38.8 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Touhy Avenue West
8
38.9 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.44 one way
$12.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.07 | $14.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.93 | $15.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.10 | $18.19 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.99
Tri-state Tollway
(16.6 mi)
$0.99
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 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 | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
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
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
1h 3m 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?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile for this route, with 19% of your journey on highways. While there's a significant 16.6-mile stretch on the Tri-State Tollway for some consistent travel, the overall experience is characterized by frequent transitions and local road navigation. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a drive that requires attention to turns and changing road conditions as you move through various local areas. Be prepared for a more engaged driving experience than a pure highway run.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.6 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 19.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 19.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
757 ft
609 ft
Total Climb
186 ft
Total Descent
195 ft
Highest Point
757 ft
~11.8 mi in
Elevation Range
148 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.
Between Crest Hill, IL and Des Plaines, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Touhy Avenue West.
Chicago
11.4 mi in
|
~21m
Touhy Avenue West
38.8 mi in
|
~58m
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 1h 3m. Total distance: 41.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.6 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.99 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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.
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 Des Plaines, 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 19.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Plaines, 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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