Origin
Itasca, IL
Late night in Itasca on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Itasca, 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
27m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Itasca, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Itasca, IL to Elgin, IL is 17.3 miles and takes about 27 minutes via West Lake Street and Elgin-O'Hare Tollway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois, offering a straightforward local connection. Expect a route that involves frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway. Given its short distance and duration, it's an ideal trip for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Elgin-O'Hare Tollway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| North Rohlwing Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Irving Park Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lake Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Division Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Lake Street
— 5.2 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Itasca, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on Arlington Heights Road
10 ft
·
4 sec
·
Arlington Heights Road
2
Turn left onto East Division Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Division Street
3
Turn left onto North Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Walnut Street
4
Turn right onto IL 19
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Irving Park Road
5
Turn right onto IL 53
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Rohlwing Road
6
Turn left onto Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road
Toward Meacham Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Toward IL 390 West
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto IL 390
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto US 20
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
Lake Street
Use the right lane.
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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Division Street
Turn left onto East Division Street
Navigation decision point
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road
Turn left onto Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road toward Meacham Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Meacham Road
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
IL 390 / Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
Merge onto IL 390 / Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
8.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 20 / Lake Street
Turn right onto US 20 / Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
17.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
East Chicago Street
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.70 one way
$5.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.97 | $5.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.33 | $6.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.35
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
(4.9 mi)
$0.35
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Elgin, IL
Late night in Elgin on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Sunny
WNW 20 mph
7% chance
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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
27m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with 0% highway share, meaning you won't be on major interstates. You'll encounter a series of local roads, including West Lake Street, the Elgin-O'Hare Tollway, and Villa Street. The longest single stretch without a turn is 5.2 miles on West Lake Street, so be prepared for frequent adjustments to your steering. This isn't a route for cruising; it requires attention to navigation and local traffic patterns.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.2 mi on West Lake Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Division Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 17.3 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: near the start (East Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (IL 390 / Elgin-O'Hare Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 27m. Total distance: 17.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.2 miles on West Lake Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.35 in tolls one way, starting with Elgin-O'Hare 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.
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 (East Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Elgin-O'Hare Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (IL 390 / Elgin-O'Hare Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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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