Origin
Elgin, IL
Late night in Elgin on Tuesday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to Kirkland, 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
48m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Kirkland, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 31.3-mile drive from Elgin, IL, to Kirkland, IL, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking just about 48 minutes. You'll primarily be on IL 72, also known as the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway, with a 44% highway share. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this is a budget-friendly excursion. The Midwest region offers a straightforward journey, and since there are no specific stops recommended, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience. This route is ideal for a quick local getaway or an easy connection between these two Illinois towns.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IL 72 | 13.9 mi | 20m |
| Illinois 72 | 6.9 mi | 10m |
| U.S. Grant Memorial Highway | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Larkin Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Oak Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| East Highland Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
IL 72
— 13.9 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Kirkland, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
34 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn left onto Center Street
329 ft
·
12 sec
·
Center Street
3
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East Highland Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on Larkin Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Larkin Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
6
Merge onto US 20
360 ft
·
5 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
7
Continue on US 20
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 20
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 20
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Oak Street
10
Continue on US 20
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Street
11
Continue on US 20
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
12
Continue on IL 72
14 mi
·
20 min
·
IL 72
13
Turn straight onto IL 72
6.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Illinois 72
14
Turn left onto South 6th Street
53 ft
·
2 sec
·
South 6th Street
15
Arrive at destination
South 6th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.7 miles from Elgin, 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
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Center Street
Turn left onto Center Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Highland Avenue
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 20 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 20 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
3
31.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.89 one way
$9.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.02 | $12.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Kirkland, IL
Late night in Kirkland on Tuesday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
18 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
48m 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 mixed drive on this 48-minute journey. While 44% of the route involves highway driving, much of it will be on IL 72, the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 13.9 miles on IL 72, offering a good opportunity to settle in. The road conditions are likely to vary, transitioning between more open highway sections and potentially more local road segments as you approach your destination. This blend means you won't experience a monotonous drive, but rather a dynamic shift in the road's personality.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.9 mi on IL 72.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Center Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 48m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Highland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (US 20 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Starting in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Founded 1854
Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Top landmarks
- • Elgin Tower Building — building in Illinois, United States
- • Elgin Downtown Commercial District
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 48m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on IL 72. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Highland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (US 20 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kirkland, 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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