Highland, IL to Melville, IL is 42.8 miles and takes about 57 minutes via I-70, I-270, and IL-255, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip within the Midwest, connecting two points in Illinois. Given its short duration and highway focus, it's ideal for a quick transit or a day trip without needing an overnight stay. You'll be spending most of your time on major interstates, making it an efficient way to cover the distance.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
8.2 mi
8m
I 270
7.7 mi
8m
IL 255
5.8 mi
6m
Great River Road
4.3 mi
6m
IL 143
4.3 mi
7m
River Heritage Parkway
4.1 mi
4m
Madison Avenue
1.7 mi
2m
Edwardsville Road
1.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 8.2 mi, about 8m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 2 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,257 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,472
Quietest
2 AM
~184 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 32 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 Highland, IL and Melville, IL.
1
Start on this road
104 ft·2 sec·this road
2
Continue
123 ft·2 sec
3
Turn straight onto IL 160
0.7 mi·1 min·Poplar Street
4
Enter roundabout onto US Highway 40
274 ft·4 sec·US Highway 40
5
Continue on US Highway 40
0.5 mi·47 sec·US Highway 40
6
Continue on IL 143
4.3 mi·7 min·IL 143
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
8
Merge onto I 70
8.2 mi·8 min·I 70
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
7.7 mi·8 min·I 270
Toward I 270 West, I 55 North: Kansas City, Chicago
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 7BToward IL 255 North: Alton
11
Merge onto IL 255
5.8 mi·6 min·IL 255
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 6Toward IL 143: Wood River, Edwardsville
13
Turn straight onto IL 143
1.6 mi·2 min·Edwardsville Road
14
Continue on IL 143
1.7 mi·2 min·Madison Avenue
15
Continue on IL 143
0.1 mi·15 sec·West Ferguson Avenue
16
Continue on IL 143
4.1 mi·4 min·River Heritage Parkway
17
Continue on US 67
0.9 mi·1 min·Landmarks Boulevard
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto IL 100
0.3 mi·24 sec·West Broadway
19
Continue on IL 100
4.3 mi·6 min·Great River Road
20
Turn right onto Clifton Terrace Road
0.8 mi·2 min·Clifton Terrace Road
21
At end of road, turn right onto IL 3
0.4 mi·42 sec·West Delmar Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
IL 3
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Highland, 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 42.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|US Highway 40
Enter roundabout onto US Highway 40
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
14.1 mi into trip|~19m in|I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 West, I 55 North: Kansas City, Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 270 West, I 55 North: Kansas City, Chi...
5
21.8 mi into trip|~28m in
Take the exit toward IL 255 North: Alton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 7B
Toward IL 255 North: Alton
6
28.3 mi into trip|~36m in
Take the exit toward IL 143: Wood River, Edwardsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward IL 143: Wood River, Edwardsville
5
42.4 mi into trip|~57m in|IL 3 / West Delmar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto IL 3 / West Delmar Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.32 one way
$12.64 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$6.98
$13.96
premium
$4.72
$7.95
$15.89
diesel
$4.80
$8.08
$16.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.8
0
$4.49
$2.05
Efficient EV
10.7
0
$3.75
$1.71
EV Truck/SUV
17.1
0
$5.99
$2.74
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.
Forecast as of Jul 8, 2026
Origin
Highland, IL
Afternoon
in Highland on Sunday
Local time
2:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 1 to 6 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 7 at 9:32PM CDT until July 9 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 7 at 9:32PM CDT until July 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Destination
Melville, IL
Afternoon
in Melville on Sunday
Local time
2:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 1 to 6 mph16% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 7 at 9:32PM CDT until July 9 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 7 at 9:32PM CDT until July 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
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
57m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily a highway-focused experience, with 72% of the route utilizing major interstate roads. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 8.2 miles on I-70, offering a consistent pace. The journey predominantly involves fast-paced interstate driving, so expect smooth, direct travel. The character of the road remains largely consistent, characterized by efficient, high-speed transit between your starting and ending points.
72% 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: 8.2 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and I 270. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near US Highway 40.
Driving Effort6/10
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 42.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.7 miles (US Highway 40): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 14.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
609 ft426 ft
Total Climb
303 ft
Total Descent
223 ft
Highest Point
609 ft
~42.8 mi in
Elevation Range
184 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Highland, IL and Melville, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Edwardsville.
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 42.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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 Melville, 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: at 0.7 miles (US Highway 40): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 14.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Melville, IL before heading back.
