If you are planning a trip from Crestwood to Bloomington, expect a 220.7-mile journey that typically takes about 4 hours and 32 minutes to complete. This route keeps you within the Midwest, making it a straightforward drive that is easily manageable in a single day. With a fuel budget of approximately $34, it is an economical choice for a quick getaway or a necessary commute. Because the trip is well under five hours, you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. The combination of local roads and expressways ensures you get a good balance of travel efficiency and regional scenery as you traverse Illinois.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
110.4 miles from Crestwood, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ken Gray Expressway
70.9 mi
1h 16m
US 51
28.7 mi
33m
North Water Street
27.4 mi
36m
North 1450 East Road
17.6 mi
23m
South Superior Street
15.1 mi
17m
300E
13.5 mi
15m
County Road 875 East
11.1 mi
12m
150E
10.4 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
Ken Gray Expressway
— 70.9 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crestwood, IL and Bloomington, IL.
1
Start on Pinewood Drive
385 ft·19 sec·Pinewood Drive
2
Turn right onto Ridgeway
283 ft·18 sec·Ridgeway
3
Turn left onto McKinney Chapel Road
255 ft·11 sec·McKinney Chapel Road
4
Continue on McKinney Chapel Road
0.5 mi·1 min·McKinney Chapel Road
5
Turn right onto Power Plant Road
2.7 mi·6 min·Power Plant Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Egypt Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Lake Egypt Road
7
Turn left onto IL 37
0.3 mi·31 sec·IL 37
8
At end of road, turn right onto IL 148
0.4 mi·41 sec·IL 148
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
10
Merge onto I 57
50 mi·54 min·Ken Gray Expressway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
20 mi·22 min·Ken Gray Expressway
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Toward US 50: Salem, Sandoval
13
Merge onto US 50
2.4 mi·2 min·West Main Street
14
Continue on US 50
2.7 mi·3 min·East Poplar Street
15
Continue on US 50
2.7 mi·3 min·Poplar
16
Turn right onto US 51
10 mi·11 min·150E
17
Continue on US 51
13 mi·15 min·300E
18
Turn left onto US 40; US 51; IL 185
0.5 mi·35 sec·US 40; US 51; IL 185
19
Turn right onto US 40; US 51; IL 185
1.6 mi·1 min·North Kennedy Boulevard
20
Continue on US 51
11 mi·12 min·County Road 875 East
21
Continue on US 51
15 mi·17 min·South Superior Street
22
Continue on US 51
2.0 mi·2 min·County Road 2400 East
23
Continue on US 51
0.6 mi·2 min·Fair Avenue
24
Continue on US 51
0.4 mi·31 sec·South Poplar Street
25
Turn right onto US 51; IL 16
0.4 mi·1 min·East 1st Street
26
Turn left onto US 51; IL 16
382 ft·5 sec·Cedar Street
27
Turn right onto US 51; IL 16
0.5 mi·1 min·Jackson Street
28
Continue on US 51; IL 16
1.0 mi·1 min·North 2600 East Road
29
Turn left onto US 51
29 mi·33 min·US 51
30
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward Decatur
31
Keep slight right at fork
144 ft·3 sec
Toward Decatur
32
Turn straight onto US 51 Business
2.6 mi·3 min·South Business Route 51
33
Continue on US 51 Business
0.1 mi·19 sec·South Main Street
34
Continue on US 51 Business
1.6 mi·2 min·South Franklin Street
35
Continue on US 51 Business
27 mi·36 min·North Water Street
36
Continue on US 51
18 mi·23 min·North 1450 East Road
Use the straight lane.
37
Continue on US 51 Business
0.5 mi·1 min·South East Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
38
Arrive at destination
US 51 Business
Trip Plan
For the smoothest experience, plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the 4-hour-plus drive. Since you are covering 220.7 miles, leaving early in the morning helps you avoid potential congestion on the more heavily traveled sections of the route. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $34 estimate can fluctuate depending on your vehicle’s efficiency and idling time in traffic. The flexibility of a single-day trip means you can easily adjust your departure time based on your own schedule. Given the length of the Ken Gray Expressway stretch, ensure you are well-rested before tackling that specific 70.9-mile leg to stay sharp behind the wheel.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 110.4 miles from Crestwood, IL, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.9 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 49 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.4 miles or 2h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bloomington, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Crestwood, 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 Crestwood, IL
This is one driving day of about 220.7 miles and 4h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Crestwood, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Ken Gray Expressway for about 70.9 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 55.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Ridgeway
Turn right onto Ridgeway
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|McKinney Chapel Road
Turn left onto McKinney Chapel Road
Navigation decision point
5
3.4 mi into trip|~9m in|Lake Egypt Road
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Egypt Road
Navigation decision point
5
4.7 mi into trip|~12m in|IL 148
At end of road, turn right onto IL 148
Navigation decision point
5
55.9 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.50 one way
$69.01 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$37.88
$75.77
premium
$4.89
$42.47
$84.94
diesel
$5.61
$48.73
$97.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.2
0
$23.17
$10.59
Efficient EV
55.2
0
$19.31
$8.83
EV Truck/SUV
88.3
1
$30.90
$14.12
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 17, 2026
Origin
Crestwood, IL
Night
in Crestwood on Saturday
Local time
11:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bloomington, IL
Night
in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
11:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
27 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
4h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a mixed profile, shifting from urban-adjacent roads to more open stretches as you head toward Bloomington. You will spend roughly 47% of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted segment covering 70.9 miles on the Ken Gray Expressway. Expect to transition between the high-speed flow of the expressway and the more measured pace of US 51 and North Water Street. The road character evolves significantly, moving from the denser traffic patterns near Crestwood into the steadier, more predictable rhythms of central Illinois. It is a functional drive that requires steady focus rather than technical maneuvering.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
38 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.9 mi on Ken Gray Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ridgeway.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 220.7 miles you will encounter 19 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 0.1 miles (Ridgeway): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (McKinney Chapel Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (Lake Egypt Road): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Crestwood, IL and Bloomington, IL, road signs point toward Sandoval and Decatur.
Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.
Top landmarks
•David Davis Mansion — house museum in Bloomington, Illinois
•Bloomington Central Business District — historic and central business district in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois,...
•George H. Miller House — Bloomington, Illinois, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 32m. Total distance: 220.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.9 miles on Ken Gray Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 0.1 miles (Ridgeway): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (McKinney Chapel Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (Lake Egypt Road): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Bloomington, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
