The drive from Elmwood Park, IL to North Peoria, IL covers 168 miles and takes about 3h 17m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, I 74, Veterans Memorial Tollway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 105.2 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84 miles from Elmwood Park, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 25.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.5 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 290 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 290 West
9
8.7 mi into trip|~17m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
10.6 mi into trip|~19m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
7
16.3 mi into trip|~26m in
Take the exit toward I 355 South: Joliet
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 131A
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
8
25.6 mi into trip|~38m in
Take the exit toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
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 12A
Toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.63 one way
$51.26 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$28.23
$56.46
premium
$4.81
$31.79
$63.58
diesel
$5.40
$35.74
$71.47
Estimated Tolls: $1.06
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(8.6 mi)$0.60
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(7.6 mi)$0.46
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
EV Charging Along Route
36 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
GFCS LLC Melrose Park
Chicago, IL
IN_CHARGE
18 DCFC
Power Up Plaza
Chicago, IL
Blink Network
16 DCFC
Roosevelt Plaza - Tesla Supercharger
Chicago, IL
Tesla
16 DCFC
Fashion Outlets of Chicago - Tesla Supercharger
Rosemont, IL
Tesla
10 DCFC
Macerich Fashion Outlets of Chicago (Rosemont, IL)
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.4
0
$17.64
$8.06
Efficient EV
42
0
$14.70
$6.72
EV Truck/SUV
67.2
0
$23.52
$10.75
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Elmwood Park, IL
Afternoon
in Elmwood Park on Sunday
Local time
1:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 10:35AM CDT until April 26 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 10:32AM CDT until April 29 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
North Peoria, IL
Afternoon
in North Peoria on Sunday
Local time
1:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
ESE 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 10:35AM CDT until April 26 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 10:32AM CDT until April 29 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
61°F
Kempton, IL
84 mi in
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
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
3h 17m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
17 mi from route
~43 min detour
Free
near mile 5.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
168 mi in 3h 17m, mostly highway — 105.2 mi of that is on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 105.2 mi on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and I 74. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 168 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elmwood Park, IL and North Peoria, IL, road signs point toward Indiana, 22Nd Street (Cermak Road), Saint Louis and Joliet Road South.
The Northwest Suburbs are in Chicagoland, primarily in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, centered along Metra’s North Central Service, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the city.
For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 17m. Total distance: 168 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 105.2 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.06 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans 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 — we found about 17 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 North Peoria, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 17 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at North Peoria, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
