Origin
Lake Zurich, IL
Morning in Lake Zurich on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Zurich, IL to Rockford, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
63.6 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Zurich, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a short trip from Lake Zurich, IL, to Rockford, IL? This 63.6-mile drive will take you about 1 hour and 21 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily navigate via the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with portions on New Sutton Road and East State Street. With a projected fuel cost of around $10, this Midwest to Midwest journey through Illinois is quite budget-friendly. It's a straightforward drive that won't require an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 43.7 mi | 46m |
| New Sutton Road | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| East State Street | 6 mi | 10m |
| IL 59 | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| West Main Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| State Route 22 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East Jefferson Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Wyman Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 43.7 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Zurich, IL and Rockford, IL.
1
Start on North Old Rand Road
68 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Old Rand Road
2
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Continue on IL 22
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on IL 22
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 22
5
Turn left onto IL 59
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
IL 59
Use the left lane.
6
Turn slight right
284 ft
·
4 sec
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on IL 59
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
New Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
9
Merge onto I 90
44 mi
·
46 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward US 20 Business, State Street
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
12
Turn straight onto US 20 Business
6.0 mi
·
10 min
·
East State Street
13
Turn right onto US 20 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
14
Turn left onto North Wyman Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Wyman Street
15
Turn right onto West State Street
75 ft
·
2 sec
·
West State Street
16
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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
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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 56.5 — 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
|
West Main Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
IL 59
Turn left onto IL 59
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
12.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
56.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 20 Business, State Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 Business, State Street
4
56.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.94 one way
$19.89 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.92 | $21.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.24 | $24.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.04 | $28.08 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.06
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(43.7 mi)
$3.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$3
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.56 | $2.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.4 | 0 | $8.90 | $4.07 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Rockford, IL
Morning in Rockford on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
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
3 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 21m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" for this 63.6-mile trip. While 7% of your journey will be on highways, much of it involves navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 43.7 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a chance to settle in. However, be prepared for frequent turns and changes in road type as you transition between the tollway and local streets like New Sutton Road and East State Street. This mix means you'll need to stay alert to navigation.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.7 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
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 West Main 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 63.6 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 (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (IL 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 63.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (7%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.7 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.06 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.
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 (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (IL 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rockford, 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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