Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
42.8 mi
69 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Highland, IL
Eclipse Chasers
Melville, IL
Jonathan Cooper
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.
| 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 |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,254 veh/hr typical · worst 1,542
Quietest
2 AM
~182 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 79 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Highland, IL and Melville, IL.
Start on this road
Continue
Turn straight onto IL 160
Enter roundabout onto US Highway 40
Continue on US Highway 40
Continue on IL 143
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 70
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
Take the exit
Merge onto IL 255
Take the exit
Turn straight onto IL 143
Continue on IL 143
Continue on IL 143
Continue on IL 143
Continue on US 67
Turn left onto IL 100
Continue on IL 100
Turn right onto Clifton Terrace Road
At end of road, turn right onto IL 3
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
A short stop after about 42.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
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.
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.
Enter roundabout onto US Highway 40
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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
Take the exit toward IL 255 North: Alton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Take the exit toward IL 143: Wood River, Edwardsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn right onto IL 3 / West Delmar Avenue
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$7.14 one way
$14.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $7.79 | $15.58 |
| premium | $5.25 | $8.85 | $17.70 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $10.58 | $21.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Highland on Friday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Melville on Friday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
303 ft
Total Descent
223 ft
Highest Point
609 ft
~42.8 mi in
Elevation Range
184 ft
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.
Chicago
Edwardsville
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
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.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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