Origin
Monticello, IL
Late night in Monticello on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monticello, IL to Springfield, 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 14m
Distance
65.4 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monticello, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Springfield, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Monticello, IL to Springfield, IL is 65.4 miles and takes about 1h 14m via I 72, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward trip stays within the Midwest, connecting two points in Illinois. Given its relatively short distance and primary highway routing, it's a practical option for a quick transit. Expect a fairly direct drive with minimal complexity. It's well-suited for a same-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 72 | 60.6 mi | 1h 5m |
| Clear Lake Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| West Center Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Bridge Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Jefferson Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Brige Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 7th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 72
— 60.6 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monticello, IL and Springfield, IL.
1
Start on West Center Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
West Center Street
2
Continue on West Bridge Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Bridge Street
3
Continue on West Center Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Center Street
4
Continue on West Brige Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
West Brige Street
5
Continue on West Bridge Street
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
West Bridge Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-72 West: Decatur
7
Merge onto I 72
61 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
I 72
8
Continue on IL 97
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Clear Lake Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on IL 97
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto North 7th Street
406 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 7th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Turn left onto East Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Washington Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 32.7 miles from Monticello, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 72 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 65.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I-72 West: Decatur
Navigation decision point
Toward I-72 West: Decatur
3
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 72
Merge onto I 72
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
65.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
North 7th Street
Turn left onto North 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
65.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
East Washington Street
Turn left onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.22 one way
$20.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.23 | $22.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.59 | $25.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.44 | $28.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.72 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.16 | $4.19 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Springfield, IL
Late night in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
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 14m 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?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 93% of the 65.4 miles on major roads like I 72. You'll experience a long stretch of 60.6 miles on I 72 before transitioning to surface streets. Clear Lake Avenue and West Center Street mark the approach into Springfield. Expect frequent exits on the highway portion as you near the city limits.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.6 mi on I 72.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and Clear Lake Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Monticello, IL to Springfield, IL is easy. At 1h 14m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (I 72): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 65.2 miles (North 7th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Monticello, IL
Full guide →Monticello is a city of 5,500 people (2019) in Central Illinois. For the visitor, it offers a railroad museum, an art-and-sculpture garden, and some beautiful historic homes.
Arriving in Springfield, IL
Full guide →Founded 1840
Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.
Top landmarks
- • Illinois State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois
- • Lincoln Tomb — tomb of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, United States
- • Lincoln Home National Historic Site — national historic site in Illinois, USA
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 14m. Total distance: 65.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 60.6 miles on I 72. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas 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: at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (I 72): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 65.2 miles (North 7th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Springfield, 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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