Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Evening in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
7:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Riley, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
42.9 mi
69 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 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Riley, IL
Mike Tyurin
Trip Overview
Des Plaines, IL to Riley, IL is 42.9 miles and takes about 53 minutes via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, East Oakton Street, and West Oakton Street, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads after leaving the tollway. It's a straightforward, short drive perfect for a quick trip between neighboring towns without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 36.5 mi | 39m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Oakton Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Harmony Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Riley Road | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| East Algonquin Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lee Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 36.5 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Riley, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
262 ft
·
16 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn left onto White Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
White Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto East Algonquin Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Algonquin Road
4
Turn left onto US 12; US 45
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Lee Street
5
Turn right onto East Oakton Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Oakton Street
6
Continue on West Oakton Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Oakton Street
7
Turn left onto South Elmhurst Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Elmhurst Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 90
37 mi
·
39 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto IL 23
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
South State Street
12
Enter roundabout onto A49
222 ft
·
3 sec
·
Harmony Road
13
Continue on A49
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harmony Road
14
Turn right onto Riley Road
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Riley Road
15
Arrive at destination
Riley Road
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 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.4 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 41.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Algonquin Road
At end of road, turn right onto East Algonquin Road
Navigation decision point
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
40.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
5
41.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
A49 / Harmony Road
Enter roundabout onto A49 / Harmony Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.65 one way
$13.30 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $7.29 | $14.59 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.32 | $16.65 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.46 | $18.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.56
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(36.5 mi)
$2.56
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$3
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.01 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Riley, IL
Evening in Riley on Tuesday
Local time
7:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
21 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
53m 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?
This route has a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire 42.9 miles. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 36.5 miles, all on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. Once you exit the tollway, you'll transition to East Oakton Street and then West Oakton Street, navigating local traffic and intersections.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.5 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Algonquin Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 42.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.2 miles (East Algonquin Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
922 ft
632 ft
Total Climb
357 ft
Total Descent
182 ft
Highest Point
922 ft
~33.7 mi in
Elevation Range
290 ft
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
Arriving in Riley, IL
Full guide →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 53m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.5 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.56 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams Memorial 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.
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 0.2 miles (East Algonquin Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riley, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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