The drive from Homer Glen, IL to North Peoria, IL covers 145.7 miles and takes about 2h 46m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, I 74, I 80 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.6 miles on I 55.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.23 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
72.9 miles from Homer Glen, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
86.6 mi
1h 33m
I 74
34.1 mi
37m
I 80
13.2 mi
16m
Veterans Memorial Tollway
4.4 mi
4m
West 159th Street
3.8 mi
6m
North Knoxville Avenue
1 mi
1m
East McClure Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 86.6 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,093 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,450
Quietest
2 AM
~146 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 43 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 Homer Glen, IL and North Peoria, IL.
1
Start on IL 7
3.8 mi·6 min·West 159th Street
2
Turn left
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward I 355 Toll South: Southwest SuburbsUse the left lane.
3
Merge onto I 355
4.4 mi·4 min·Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·55 sec
Exit 0BToward I 80 West: IowaUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 80
13 mi·16 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Exit 126AToward I 55 South: Saint Louis
7
Merge onto I 55
87 mi·1 hr 33 min·I 55
Use the right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·49 sec
Toward I 74 West: PeoriaUse the slight right lane.
9
Continue on I 74
27 mi·29 min·I 74
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74
6.7 mi·8 min·I 74
Toward I 74 West: Peoria
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward IL 40 North: Knoxville Avenue
12
Turn straight onto IL 40
1.0 mi·1 min·North Knoxville Avenue
13
Turn right onto East McClure Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·East McClure Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
East McClure Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.9 miles from Homer Glen, IL, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.6 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 32 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.9 miles or 1h 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 2h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Peoria, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Homer Glen, 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 Homer Glen, IL
This is one driving day of about 145.7 miles and 2h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Homer Glen, 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 55 for about 86.6 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 109.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.8 mi into trip|~6m in
Turn left toward I 355 Toll South: Southwest Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 Toll South: Southwest Suburbs
5
4.1 mi into trip|~7m in|I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.5 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 West: Iowa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 0B
Toward I 80 West: Iowa
5
9.1 mi into trip|~13m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
109.3 mi into trip|~2h 4m in
Take the exit toward I 74 West: Peoria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 74 West: Peoria
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.23 one way
$44.46 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$24.48
$48.96
premium
$4.81
$27.57
$55.14
diesel
$5.40
$30.99
$61.99
Estimated Tolls: $0.31
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(4.4 mi)$0.31
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
$22
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.7
0
$15.30
$6.99
Efficient EV
36.4
0
$12.75
$5.83
EV Truck/SUV
58.3
0
$20.40
$9.32
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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 Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Homer Glen, IL
Morning
in Homer Glen on Sunday
Local time
11:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
North Peoria, IL
Morning
in North Peoria on Sunday
Local time
11:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
ESE 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 4:59AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 4:55AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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
34 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
2h 46m 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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
145.7 mi in 2h 46m, mostly highway — 86.6 mi of that is on I 55.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.6 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 74. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.
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 10 significant decision points across 145.7 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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 46m. Total distance: 145.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.6 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.31 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.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at North Peoria, IL before heading back.
