Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Night in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
10:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Glenwood, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
45.2 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
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.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Glenwood, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 45.2 miles across the Illinois landscape, this trip from Des Plaines to Glenwood is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. You will primarily navigate via South Des Plaines River Road and the I-294 South Tri-State Tollway. Given the short duration, this route is perfectly suited as a simple one-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. With an estimated fuel cost of just $7, it is an economical commute between these two Midwest locations. Whether you are traveling for business or visiting family, the direct nature of this drive makes it easy to plan around your daily schedule without extensive logistical preparations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 37.6 mi | 47m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Halsted Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 187th Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Glenwood Chicago Heights Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Glenwood Lansing Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 37.6 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Glenwood, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
4
Merge onto I 294
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
8
Continue on I 294
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 2B-A
Toward IL 1: Halsted Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 2B
Toward IL 1 South: Halsted Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto IL 1
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Halsted Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto 187th Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
187th Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Glenwood Chicago Heights Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Glenwood Chicago Heights Road
15
Continue on West Main Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
16
Continue on Glenwood Lansing Road
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Glenwood Lansing Road
17
Arrive at destination
Glenwood Lansing Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.6 miles from Des Plaines, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 18.6 and 43.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
18.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
38.1 mi into trip
|
~49m 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
40.8 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward IL 1: Halsted Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B-A
Toward IL 1: Halsted Street
8
41 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 1 South: Halsted Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward IL 1 South: Halsted Street
6
43.2 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
187th Street
Turn left onto 187th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.07 one way
$14.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.76 | $15.52 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.70 | $17.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.98 | $19.96 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.26
Tri-state Tollway
(37.6 mi)
$2.26
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Glenwood, IL
Night in Glenwood on Sunday
Local time
10:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
Burbank, IL
23 mi in
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
17 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 4m 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 that demands your full attention as you navigate through the region. While you will utilize the Tri-State Tollway, the route transitions frequently between major highway stretches and local roadways, meaning you should stay alert for shifting traffic patterns. The road personality is functional and efficient rather than scenic, focusing on getting you from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Because the route is relatively short, you will not encounter long, monotonous stretches of highway, allowing for a dynamic driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.6 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 18.6 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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 4m. Total distance: 45.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m 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 37.6 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.26 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 Glenwood, 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 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 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 Glenwood, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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