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Trip from Maroa, IL to Niantic, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

31m

Distance

24.2 mi

39 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Maroa, IL, IL

Maroa, IL

Semih Başaran

Downtown Niantic, IL, IL

Niantic, IL

Pexels LATAM

Trip Overview

This straightforward 24.2-mile drive from Maroa, IL, to Niantic, IL, will take you about 31 minutes, making it an ideal quick trip. Primarily utilizing I 72 with brief sections on US 51 and South Four Bridges Road, this route is perfect for a day trip as it requires no overnight stays. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, it's an economical option for exploring the Midwest. The journey is almost entirely highway-focused, offering a direct and efficient path between these two Illinois towns.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 72 12.9 mi 13m
US 51 8 mi 10m
South Four Bridges Road 0.6 mi 1m
South Illinois Road 0.5 mi 1m
South Wood Street 0.4 mi <1m
East Lewis Street 0.3 mi <1m
West Eldorado Street 0.2 mi <1m
Old US Hwy 51 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 72 — 12.9 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maroa, IL and Niantic, IL.

1

Start on West Main Street

218 ft · 11 sec · West Main Street
2

Turn right onto South Wood Street

0.4 mi · 41 sec · South Wood Street
3

Continue on Old US Hwy 51

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Old US Hwy 51
4

Turn left onto US 51

8.0 mi · 10 min · US 51
5

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 72 West: Springfield, Pana
6

Merge onto I 72; US 51

13 mi · 13 min · I 72; US 51
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward Niantic
8

Turn right onto South Four Bridges Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Four Bridges Road
9

Turn left onto West Eldorado Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · West Eldorado Street
10

Turn right onto Niantic Road

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Niantic Road
11

Continue on South Illinois Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Illinois Road
12

Turn left onto East Lewis Street

0.3 mi · 44 sec · East Lewis Street
13

Turn right onto North Pritchett Street

210 ft · 9 sec · North Pritchett Street
14

Arrive at destination

North Pritchett Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.1 — 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 | South Wood Street

Turn right onto South Wood Street

Navigation decision point

5
8.6 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward I 72 West: Springfield, Pana

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 72 West: Springfield, Pana
4
22.1 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward Niantic

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward Niantic
4
23 mi into trip | ~28m in | West Eldorado Street

Turn left onto West Eldorado Street

Navigation decision point

5
24.1 mi into trip | ~31m in | North Pritchett Street

Turn right onto North Pritchett Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.02 one way

$8.05 round trip

$4.22/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $4.38 $8.77
premium $5.18 $4.94 $9.88
diesel $5.35 $5.10 $10.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.3 0 $2.54 $1.16
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.12 $0.97
EV Truck/SUV 9.7 0 $3.39 $1.55

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 May 21, 2026

Origin

Maroa, IL

Afternoon in Maroa on Wednesday

Local time

4:34 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Partly Cloudy

NE 9 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued May 21 at 3:40AM CDT until May 23 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued May 20 at 8:56PM CDT until May 22 at 11:48AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Destination

Niantic, IL

Afternoon in Niantic on Wednesday

Local time

4:34 PM

CDT

Current temp

48°F

Partly Cloudy

NE 9 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued May 21 at 3:40AM CDT until May 23 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued May 20 at 8:56PM CDT until May 22 at 11:48AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

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

31m 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 highway-intensive experience, as 88% of this drive is on interstates. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.9 miles on I 72, providing a consistent pace. While predominantly on I 72, the route incorporates brief transitions onto US 51 and South Four Bridges Road, offering slight variations in the driving environment. This profile suggests a drive focused more on reaching your destination efficiently rather than on scenic detours.

88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on I 72.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and US 51. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Wood 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 31m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Wood Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

728 ft 606 ft

Total Climb

89 ft

Total Descent

211 ft

Highest Point

728 ft

Elevation Range

122 ft

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 Maroa, IL to Niantic, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Pana along the way.

Pana

8.6 mi in | ~11m

Detours Along the Way

Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.

TLC Coffee House & Ice Cream

Cafe

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Maroa, IL

Cuisine: coffee_shop;ice_cream

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Around the midpoint, short detour

14min in 2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Decatur, IL

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Visit website

Subway

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

11min in 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Forsyth, IL

Cuisine: sandwich

Hours: 07:00-20:00

Visit website

Crawford's Pizza & Pub

Restaurant

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Maroa, IL

Cuisine: pizza

Visit website

Penn Station

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

11min in 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Cuisine: sandwich

Subway

Fast_food

Later in the drive, right off the route

21min in 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Decatur, IL

Cuisine: sandwich

Arby's

Fast_food

Early in the drive, short detour

11min in 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour

Decatur, IL

Cuisine: sandwich

Hours: 10:00-21:00

Visit website

Burger King

Fast_food

Early in the drive, short detour

11min in 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Decatur, IL

Cuisine: burger

Hours: Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00

Visit website

Village Park

Park

Early in the drive, right off the route

11min in 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Alert Picnic grounds

Park

Around the midpoint, short detour

18min in 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Harristown Depot

Attraction

Later in the drive, short detour

25min in 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Sunnyside Park

Park

Around the midpoint, short detour

18min in 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Miller's Mill Overlook

Viewpoint

Later in the drive, short detour

21min in 1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Starting in Maroa, IL

Full guide →

Arriving in Niantic, IL

Full guide →

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 31m. Total distance: 24.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.9 miles on I 72. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 (South Wood Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. 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 Niantic, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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