Origin
Lexington, IL
Morning in Lexington on Tuesday
Local time
11:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lexington, IL to Champaign, 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 19m
Distance
61.6 mi
99 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lexington, IL
Mike Tyurin
Trip Overview
This 61.6-mile drive from Lexington, IL to Champaign, IL is a straightforward trip perfect for a single day. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 19 minutes on the road, with a fuel cost estimated at $10. The route is heavily focused on highway driving, making it an efficient journey through the Midwest. Since there are no recommended overnight stops, this trip is ideal for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger Midwest adventure. Its simplicity and relatively short duration mean you can easily fit it into your schedule without needing to break it up.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 74 | 38.4 mi | 41m |
| Old Route 66 | 7.7 mi | 10m |
| North Towanda Barnes Road | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| Towanda-Barnes Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| US 150 | 2 mi | 2m |
| North Neil Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Seminary Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 74
— 38.4 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on South Cedar Street
44 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Cedar Street
2
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto Old Route 66
7.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Old Route 66
4
Turn left onto CR 29
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Jefferson Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 29
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Hely Street
6
Continue on CR 29
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Towanda-Barnes Road
7
Continue on CR 29
6.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Towanda Barnes Road
8
Turn left onto US 150
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 150
9
Turn right onto CR 27
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Seminary Street
10
Continue on CR 27; CR 36
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
East 700 North Road
11
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 74 East: Champaign
12
Merge onto I 74
38 mi
·
41 min
·
I 74
Use the slight right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
14
Keep slight right at fork
140 ft
·
5 sec
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
15
Turn right onto North Neil Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Neil Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Neil Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Lexington, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 8.6 and 60.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
CR 29 / West Hely Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 29 / West Hely Street
Navigation decision point
5
21.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Turn left toward I 74 East: Champaign
Navigation decision point
Toward I 74 East: Champaign
5
21.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 74
Merge onto I 74
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
60.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward Neil Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
7
60.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Neil Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 182
Toward Neil Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.63 one way
$19.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.57 | $21.15 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.85 | $23.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.60 | $27.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.62 | $3.94 |
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
Champaign, IL
Morning in Champaign on Tuesday
Local time
11:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Empire, IL
31 mi in
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
1 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 19m 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?
The character of this drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 78% of the journey utilizing major roadways like I-74. You'll experience a 38.4-mile stretch on I-74, offering a consistent pace. While Old Route 66 and North Towanda Barnes Road provide brief deviations, the overall feel is one of efficient travel. This highway-centric profile means you'll encounter fewer decision points and a more predictable driving experience, allowing for a smooth transition between your origin and destination within Illinois.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.4 mi on I 74.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and Old Route 66. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 8.6 miles in near CR 29 / West Hely Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 19m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.6 miles (CR 29 / West Hely Street): Navigation decision point; at 21.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 21.8 miles (I 74): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Champaign, IL
Full guide →Founded 1855
Champaign-Urbana is a metropolitan area in central Illinois, composed of the towns of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. The community is the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, one of the great public universities of the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Orpheum Theatre — theater and movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Virginia Theatre — movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
- • Cattle Bank — bank building in Champaign, United States of America
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 19m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.4 miles on I 74. 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 8.6 miles (CR 29 / West Hely Street): Navigation decision point; at 21.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 21.8 miles (I 74): 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 Champaign, 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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