Origin
Forest Park, IL
Morning in Forest Park on Tuesday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forest Park, IL to Elgin, 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
45m
Distance
29.2 mi
47 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 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 29.2-mile drive from Forest Park, IL to Elgin, IL is a straightforward trip perfect for a single day. Expect to spend about 45 minutes behind the wheel, with a modest fuel cost of around $5. The route primarily utilizes local roads with some highway sections, offering a mixed driving experience. Since it's a short journey within the Midwest region of Illinois, an overnight stay isn't necessary, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. This drive offers a practical way to connect two Illinois communities without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Street | 6.7 mi | 11m |
| US 20 | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| I 290 | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Des Plaines Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lake Street
— 6.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Park, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on Madison Street
44 ft
·
6 sec
·
Madison Street
2
Turn left onto Des Plaines Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Des Plaines Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 290 West: Eisenhower Expressway
4
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto US 20
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 20
Exit 12
Toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, York Road
Use the right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
US 20
Toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 20
5.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
9
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
10
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
11
Continue on US 20
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
12
Turn slight left onto Villa Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Villa Street
Toward Villa Street
Use the slight left lane.
13
Turn left
311 ft
·
28 sec
14
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
15
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.1 — 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
|
Des Plaines Avenue
Turn left onto Des Plaines Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge onto I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
5.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford,...
8
9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 20
Take the exit onto US 20 toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, York Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 12
Toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, Yor...
7
9.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20 toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.57 one way
$9.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.62 | $11.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.45 | $12.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Elgin, IL
Morning in Elgin on Tuesday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
1 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
45m 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 drive presents a mixed bag of road types, with 47% of it being highway. You'll encounter about 6.7 miles on Lake Street as the longest uninterrupted stretch, indicating a good portion of the journey will be on this main artery. The profile suggests a blend of faster highway driving and more local road segments, meaning you'll likely experience varying traffic patterns and speed limits. This dynamic keeps the drive engaging without being overly demanding, transitioning from quicker travel to more community-focused sections.
47% 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: 6.7 mi on Lake Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Des Plaines Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Des Plaines Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Forest Park, IL to Elgin, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Milwaukee along the way.
Milwaukee
5.1 mi in
|
~8m
|
via I 290
About the Cities
Arriving 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 45m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.7 miles on Lake Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Elgin, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (Des Plaines Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Elgin, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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