Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
8.9 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Portage Park, IL
Willian Justen de Vasconcellos
Des Plaines to Portage Park is 8.9 miles and takes about 18 minutes via South Northwest Highway, Busse Highway, and North Central Avenue, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, connecting two Midwest communities. It's a very local drive, meaning you'll navigate city streets more than highways. Plan for a quick transit that's more about getting from point A to B efficiently than about a scenic journey. Consider this an easy, straightforward hop perfect for a quick errand or transition.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Northwest Highway | 4 mi | 7m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Central Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Cullom Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Portage Park, IL.
Start on Henry Avenue
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
Turn right onto Busse Highway
Turn straight onto West Touhy Avenue
Turn slight right onto South Northwest Highway
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto West Goodman Street
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
Turn left onto West Cullom Avenue
Turn right onto North Linder Avenue
Turn right onto West Hutchinson Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 8.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Busse Highway
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto West Goodman Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto North Linder Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto West Hutchinson Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.39 one way
$2.78 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.53 | $3.06 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.71 | $3.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.97 | $3.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.93 | $0.43 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.78 | $0.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.25 | $0.57 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Portage Park on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This is a turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share, so expect frequent intersections and traffic signals. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 4 miles on South Northwest Highway. As you progress, the route weaves through various surface streets, transitioning between different local thoroughfares. The pace will be dictated by city traffic and the need to make several turns, making it a more engaged driving experience than a highway cruise.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near East Oakton Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 18m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Busse Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (West Goodman Street): Navigation decision point.
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 8.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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