Independence, IL to Springfield, IL is 75.3 miles and takes about 1h 40m via I 72, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward trip. You'll find it's a highway-focused journey, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. With no designated stops, this route is designed for direct travel, making it ideal for a quick day trip or an easy connection between these two Illinois locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.7 miles from Independence, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 72
55.8 mi
59m
North Jackson Street
5.1 mi
8m
County Highway 7
5 mi
12m
Wabash Avenue
2.5 mi
4m
West Washington Street
2.3 mi
6m
Veterans Parkway
1.4 mi
2m
West Monroe Street
1.3 mi
2m
Piper Lane
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 72
— 55.8 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, IL and Springfield, IL.
1
Start on Road 900
259 ft·16 sec·Road 900
2
Turn left onto County Highway 7
5.0 mi·12 min·County Highway 7
3
Continue on Piper Lane
0.4 mi·1 min·Piper Lane
4
At end of road, turn left onto East Fayette Street
357 ft·17 sec·East Fayette Street
5
Turn right onto South Illinois Street
427 ft·24 sec·South Illinois Street
6
Turn left onto IL 106
404 ft·10 sec·East Washington Street
7
Turn right onto US 54
5.1 mi·8 min·North Jackson Street
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 72 East, US 36 East: Springfield
9
Merge onto I 72; US 36
56 mi·59 min·I 72; US 36
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Toward Springfield, Loami
11
Turn left onto Old Route 54
0.3 mi·33 sec·Old Route 54
12
Continue on Wabash Avenue
2.5 mi·4 min·Wabash Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto IL 4
1.4 mi·2 min·Veterans Parkway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
15
Turn straight onto West Monroe Street
1.3 mi·2 min·West Monroe Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn left onto Chatham Road
0.1 mi·19 sec·Chatham Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto West Washington Street
1.4 mi·3 min·West Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
At end of road, turn left onto North Lewis Street
83 ft·4 sec·North Lewis Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto West Washington Street
0.9 mi·2 min·West Washington Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
20
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour and 40 minutes, this trip offers excellent flexibility. You can easily depart anytime, and with no scheduled stops, you control the pace entirely. The fuel cost is estimated at a low $12, so you won't need to worry about frequent refueling. As you'll spend most of your time on I 72, be mindful of highway speeds and potential traffic as you approach Springfield. A practical tip is to ensure your vehicle is in good condition before leaving Independence, as the longest stretch without a break is over 55 miles.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37.7 miles from Independence, IL, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.8 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 17 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.7 miles or 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Springfield, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Independence, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Independence, IL
This is one driving day of about 75.3 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Independence, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 72 for about 55.8 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 74.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.5 mi into trip|~14m in|South Illinois Street
Turn right onto South Illinois Street
Navigation decision point
6
10.8 mi into trip|~22m in
Take the ramp toward I 72 East, US 36 East: Springfield
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 72 East, US 36 East: Springfield
6
73 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|West Washington Street
Turn right onto West Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
74.4 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|North Lewis Street
At end of road, turn left onto North Lewis Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
74.5 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|West Washington Street
Turn right onto West Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.77 one way
$23.54 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$12.93
$25.85
premium
$4.89
$14.49
$28.98
diesel
$5.61
$16.63
$33.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.6
0
$7.91
$3.61
Efficient EV
18.8
0
$6.59
$3.01
EV Truck/SUV
30.1
0
$10.54
$4.82
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Independence, IL
Late night
in Independence on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Springfield, IL
Late night
in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Jacksonville, IL
38 mi in
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
4 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
1h 40m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 83% of the journey on major roads like I 72. You'll experience a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 55.8 miles on I 72, offering a consistent pace. The initial part of your drive will involve North Jackson Street and County Highway 7 before merging onto the interstate. Expect a smooth and direct experience for the majority of your travel time, with minimal deviations from high-speed roadways. This character makes it a predictable and efficient trip.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.8 mi on I 72.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and North Jackson Street. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near South Illinois Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 75.3 miles you will encounter 16 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 5.5 miles (South Illinois Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 73 miles (West Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Independence, IL to Springfield, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Loami along the way.
Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.
Top landmarks
•Illinois State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois
•Lincoln Tomb — tomb of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, United States
•Lincoln Home National Historic Site — national historic site in Illinois, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 75.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.8 miles on I 72. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 5.5 miles (South Illinois Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 73 miles (West Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. 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 Springfield, IL before heading back.
