Origin
Mendota, IL
Late night in Mendota on Tuesday
Local time
5:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mendota, IL to Naperville, 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 29m
Distance
77.4 mi
125 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mendota, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 77.4-mile drive from Mendota, IL to Naperville, IL is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 29 minutes, making it ideal for a single-day journey. You'll primarily be on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and I-39, with a small portion on North 43rd Road, offering a mixed driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of around $12, this route is budget-friendly. Both Mendota and Naperville are situated within the Midwest region, so you'll be traversing familiar territory throughout your travel. This route is perfect for a quick, efficient trip between these two Illinois communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 45.8 mi | 50m |
| I 39 | 24.6 mi | 26m |
| North 43rd Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Mill Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 12th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Diehl Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 6th Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West Ogden Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 45.8 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mendota, IL and Naperville, IL.
1
Start on 7th Avenue
124 ft
·
7 sec
·
7th Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 34
403 ft
·
14 sec
·
6th Street
3
Turn left onto US 34
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
6th Avenue
4
Continue on US 34
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Street
5
Continue on US 34
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North 43rd Road
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
7
Merge onto I 39; US 51
25 mi
·
26 min
·
I 39; US 51
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 97A
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
9
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
46 mi
·
50 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 125
Toward Winfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Winfield Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Winfield Road
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto West Diehl Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Diehl Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Mill Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Mill Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto US 34
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto North Washington Street
50 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Washington Street
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
North Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.7 miles from Mendota, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 76 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 34 / 6th Street
Turn right onto US 34 / 6th Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
5
28.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 97A
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
7
74.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward Winfield Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 125
Toward Winfield Road
6
76 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
Mill Street
Turn right onto Mill Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.10 one way
$24.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.29 | $26.57 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.89 | $29.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.09 | $34.18 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.75
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(45.8 mi)
$2.75
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$3
Total
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
| Efficient EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.77 | $3.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31 | 0 | $10.84 | $4.95 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Destination
Naperville, IL
Late night in Naperville on Tuesday
Local time
5:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
18 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 29m 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 personality of this drive is largely defined by its highway segments, with 32% of the route being on highways. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 45.8 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, which provides a consistent pace. While the majority of the drive is on well-maintained tollways and interstates, there's a brief section on North 43rd Road that introduces a slightly different feel before rejoining the faster roads. Expect a mixed drive that balances efficient travel with moments of local road familiarity.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.8 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 34 / 6th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 77.4 miles you will encounter 12 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 (US 34 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Naperville, IL
Full guide →Naperville is a bedroom community in the Chicagoland area. In 2008, Money magazine ranked Naperville third on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.
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 29m. Total distance: 77.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.75 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan 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 Naperville, 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: near the start (US 34 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. 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 Naperville, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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