Origin
Kirkland, IL
Morning in Kirkland on Tuesday
Local time
7:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, IL to Des Plaines, 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
1h 14m
Distance
58.2 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 58.2-mile drive from Kirkland, IL to Des Plaines, IL is a straightforward 1-hour and 14-minute trip, perfect for a single day. You'll navigate primarily on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with portions on West Main Street and IL 23. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $9, this route is an economical option for a quick journey within the Midwest. The overall feel is a turn-heavy local drive, so don't expect a completely hands-off experience, but it's easily manageable for one day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 36.6 mi | 39m |
| West Main Street | 9.5 mi | 14m |
| IL 23 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Park Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Oakton Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Algonquin Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lee Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 36.6 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on South 6th Street
53 ft
·
4 sec
·
South 6th Street
2
Turn right onto IL 72
6.9 mi
·
10 min
·
West Main Street
3
Turn straight onto IL 72
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Park Avenue
4
Continue on IL 72
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
5
Turn left onto IL 23
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 23
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 90 Toll East: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 90
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
36 mi
·
38 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 73
Toward Elmhurst Road
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
288 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Elmhurst Road North
Use the slight left lane.
11
Turn straight onto South Elmhurst Road
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
South Elmhurst Road
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Turn right onto West Oakton Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
West Oakton Street
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on West Oakton Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Oakton Street
14
Continue on East Oakton Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Oakton Street
15
Turn left onto US 12; US 45
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Lee Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto East Algonquin Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Algonquin Road
17
Turn left onto White Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
White Street
18
Turn right onto Henry Avenue
262 ft
·
11 sec
·
Henry Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Kirkland, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 10.7 and 54.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
10.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
IL 23
Turn left onto IL 23
Navigation decision point
6
18.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
53.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Elmhurst Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 73
Toward Elmhurst Road
7
54.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Elmhurst Road North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Elmhurst Road North
6
54.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
West Oakton Street
Turn right onto West Oakton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.10 one way
$18.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.99 | $19.98 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.20 | $22.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.85 | $25.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.57
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(36.6 mi)
$2.57
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.11 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.15 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
7:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 10 to 15 mph
44% 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
24 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 14m 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?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' experience for this 58.2-mile journey. While only 10% of the route involves highway driving, the longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 36.6 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. This suggests a route that blends faster tollway segments with more frequent turns and local road navigation. The character of the drive will likely change as you transition between these different road types, requiring your attention throughout the approximately 1 hour and 14 minute duration.
Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.6 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.7 miles in near IL 23.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 10.7 miles (IL 23): Navigation decision point; at 18.1 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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 Kirkland, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Elmhurst Road North along the way.
Elmhurst Road North
54.2 mi in
|
~1h 5m
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 1h 14m. Total distance: 58.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.6 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.57 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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 Des Plaines, 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 10.7 miles (IL 23): Navigation decision point; at 18.1 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Plaines, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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