Evanston to Steeleville is 350.9 miles and takes about 6h 50m via I-57, I-64, and IL-127, with a fuel budget near $56 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it a straightforward drive. Given the relatively short duration, it's well-suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
175.5 miles from Evanston, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
261.9 mi
4h 46m
I 64
22.9 mi
24m
IL 127
22 mi
27m
IL 154
8.9 mi
13m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.8 mi
11m
North Western Avenue
5.5 mi
11m
Main Street
5.5 mi
9m
IL 150
4.2 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 261.9 mi, about 4h 46m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~761 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,099
Quietest
2 AM
~115 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Steeleville, IL.
1
Start on this road
197 ft·21 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn left
139 ft·15 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft·14 sec·Dempster Street
4
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on North Western Avenue
5.5 mi·11 min·North Western Avenue
6
Turn left onto North Clybourn Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·North Clybourn Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto North Damen Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·North Damen Avenue
8
Turn left onto West Webster Avenue
139 ft·2 sec·West Webster Avenue
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
10
Merge onto I 90; I 94
3.6 mi·5 min·Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 90; I 94
2.4 mi·2 min·Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
8.8 mi·11 min·Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 ExpressUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
201 mi·3 hr 40 min·I 57
Exit 63Toward I 57 South: MemphisUse the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
61 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 57
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward I 64 West: Saint Louis
16
Merge onto I 64
23 mi·24 min·I 64
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward IL 127
18
Turn straight onto IL 127
22 mi·27 min·IL 127
19
Turn right onto IL 13; IL 154
0.6 mi·50 sec·West Water Street
20
Turn straight onto IL 13; IL 154
0.4 mi·34 sec·Kennedy Drive
21
Enter roundabout onto IL 154
168 ft·2 sec·IL 154
22
Continue on IL 154
8.9 mi·13 min·IL 154
23
Turn left onto IL 150
4.2 mi·7 min·IL 150
24
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 150
5.5 mi·9 min·Main Street
25
Turn right
49 ft·9 sec
26
Turn left
100 ft·7 sec
27
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 6-hour-plus drive, consider an early morning departure from Evanston to maximize daylight. While the drive is manageable in one day, planning for one stop around the halfway point can break up the 261.9-mile stretch on I-57. Keep an eye on fuel levels, especially as you approach Steeleville, as highway services might become less frequent. The fuel cost is estimated at $56, so factor that into your budget.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 175.5 miles from Evanston, IL, or about 3h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 261.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 77 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 175.5 miles or 3h 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Steeleville, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Evanston, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Evanston, IL
This is one driving day of about 350.9 miles and 6h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 miles from Evanston, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 261.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in
At end of road, turn left
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Dempster Street
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Asbury Avenue
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
14.8 mi into trip|~26m in|I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
8
23.7 mi into trip|~38m in|I 57
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 South: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 63
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$64.24 one way
$128.48 round trip
$4.65/gal25.4 MPG avg123 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.27
$72.85
$145.69
premium
$5.82
$80.44
$160.89
diesel
$6.55
$90.47
$180.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$64
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$89–$114
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 122.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
105.3
1
$36.84
$16.84
Efficient EV
87.7
1
$30.70
$14.04
EV Truck/SUV
140.4
1
$49.13
$22.46
Gas CO2
123 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Evanston, IL
Morning
in Evanston on Thursday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Clear
SW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Steeleville, IL
Morning
in Steeleville on Thursday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Patchy Frost
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
12 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
6h 50m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
With 95% of the drive on highways, you'll spend most of your time on major interstates. The longest continuous stretch is 261.9 miles, primarily on I-57. You'll encounter a high density of exits and merges during these interstate segments. The route transitions to surface roads, like IL-127, for the final portion of the drive.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 261.9 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and I 64. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 350.9 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: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Dempster Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race.
Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
•Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
•Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
•Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 50m. Total distance: 350.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 50m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 261.9 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 39 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 Steeleville, 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 39 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Dempster Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.8 hours each way, a round trip means 13.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Steeleville, IL before the return drive.
