The drive from Machesney Park, IL to North Peoria, IL covers 145.2 miles and takes about 2h 51m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 39, IL 29, I 80 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.6 miles on I 39.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.15 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72.6 miles from Machesney Park, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 39
63.6 mi
1h 8m
IL 29
32.6 mi
38m
I 80
16.7 mi
17m
I 180
8.7 mi
9m
North Galena Road
7.3 mi
10m
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
4.3 mi
4m
North Perryville Road
2.3 mi
3m
East War Memorial Drive
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 63.6 mi, about 1h 8m
Traffic on I-39
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 2 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~1,252 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,626
Quietest
midnight
~126 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 50 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Machesney Park, IL and North Peoria, IL.
1
Start on Roosevelt Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Roosevelt Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto North Alpine Road
0.5 mi·1 min·North Alpine Road
3
Turn left onto Harlem Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Harlem Road
4
Turn right onto North Perryville Road
2.3 mi·3 min·North Perryville Road
5
Turn left onto East Riverside Boulevard
0.8 mi·1 min·East Riverside Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
7
Merge onto I 39; I 90; US 51
4.3 mi·4 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39; US 51
0.8 mi·52 sec·I 39; US 51
Toward I 39, US 51 South: Bloomington
9
Continue on I 39; US 20; US 51
2.1 mi·2 min·I 39; US 20; US 51
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39; US 51
61 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 39; US 51
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi·57 sec
Exit 59BToward I 80 West: La Salle-Peru, Des Moines
12
Merge onto I 80
17 mi·17 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Toward I 180 South: Hennepin
14
Continue on I 180
8.7 mi·9 min·I 180
15
Keep slight right at fork
2.1 mi·2 min
Toward Peoria
16
Continue on IL 29
33 mi·38 min·IL 29
17
Continue on IL 29
7.3 mi·10 min·North Galena Road
18
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward 150: War Memorial Drive
19
Merge onto US 150
1.1 mi·1 min·East War Memorial Drive
20
Turn left onto North Prospect Road
1.0 mi·1 min·North Prospect Road
21
Turn right onto East McClure Avenue
0.4 mi·53 sec·East McClure Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
East McClure Avenue
Trip Plan
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.6 miles from Machesney Park, IL, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.6 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 32 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.6 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Peoria, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Machesney Park, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Machesney Park, IL
This is one driving day of about 145.2 miles and 2h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Machesney Park, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 39 for about 63.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway reset
4.9 mi from route
~12 min detour
$10 to $20
DePue, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–2 pm
+18154472198
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 100.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|North Alpine Road
At end of road, turn right onto North Alpine Road
Navigation decision point
6
9.9 mi into trip|~15m in|I 39; US 51
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39; US 51 toward I 39, US 51 South: Bloomington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 39, US 51 South: Bloomington
6
73.5 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: La Salle-Peru, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 59B
Toward I 80 West: La Salle-Peru, Des Moines
5
74.1 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
100.5 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Peoria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Peoria
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.15 one way
$44.30 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$24.40
$48.80
premium
$4.81
$27.47
$54.95
diesel
$3.75
$21.44
$42.87
Estimated Tolls: $0.30
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(4.3 mi)$0.30
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
EV Charging Along Route
36 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Hy-Vee - Tesla Supercharger
Peru, IL
Tesla
20 DCFC
Woodman's Food Market - Tesla Supercharger
Rockford, IL
Tesla
12 DCFC
Eleventh Street Plaza Shopping Center - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.6
0
$15.25
$6.97
Efficient EV
36.3
0
$12.70
$5.81
EV Truck/SUV
58.1
0
$20.33
$9.29
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Machesney Park, IL
Evening
in Machesney Park on Sunday
Local time
6:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Sunny
ESE 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 11:09AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 11:09AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
North Peoria, IL
Evening
in North Peoria on Sunday
Local time
6:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Sunny
ESE 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 11:09AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 11:09AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
44°F
Washburn, IL
73 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
7 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
2h 51m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
145.2 mi in 2h 51m, mostly highway — 63.6 mi of that is on I 39.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.6 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and IL 29. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near North Alpine Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 145.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.5 miles (North Alpine Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (I 39; US 51): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 73.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Machesney Park, IL and North Peoria, IL, road signs point toward Des Moines and Peoria.
Des Moines
73.5 mi in|~1h 24m
Peoria
100.5 mi in|~1h 54m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 51m. Total distance: 145.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.6 miles on I 39. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.30 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 North Peoria, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (North Alpine Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (I 39; US 51): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 73.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at North Peoria, IL before heading back.
