Origin
Naperville, IL
Late night in Naperville on Wednesday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Naperville, IL to Cambridge, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 29, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 50m
Distance
140.6 mi
226 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 39m
★
6 AM
2h 50m
8 AM
3h 12m
10 AM
2h 58m
12 PM
2h 56m
3 PM
2h 59m
5 PM
3h 11m
8 PM
2h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Naperville, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Cambridge, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Naperville, IL to Cambridge, IL is 140.6 miles and takes about 2h 50m via I 80, I 55, and South Oakwood Avenue, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, crossing from one part of Illinois to another. The route is primarily highway driving, making it a straightforward option for a single day. With just one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, it's a manageable drive for most. You'll likely find it to be a practical way to cover the distance without extensive planning.
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
70.3 miles from Naperville, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 27m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 106.2 mi | 1h 53m |
| I 55 | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| South Oakwood Avenue | 9.3 mi | 16m |
| North Washington Street | 5.3 mi | 11m |
| Weber Road | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| North 1025th Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Washington Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Court Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 106.2 mi, about 1h 53m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~796 veh/hr typical · worst 971
Quietest
2 AM
~137 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 47 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 Naperville, IL and Cambridge, IL.
1
Start on North Washington Street
5.3 mi
·
11 min
·
North Washington Street
Use the left lane.
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Washington Street
3
Continue on Weber Road
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Weber Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 55 South: Bloomington
5
Merge onto I 55
12 mi
·
14 min
·
I 55
6
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 250B
Toward I 80 West: Iowa
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 80
106 mi
·
1 hr 53 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward IL 82: Cambridge, Geneseo
9
Turn left onto IL 82
9.3 mi
·
16 min
·
South Oakwood Avenue
10
Turn right onto IL 81; IL 82
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1025th Avenue
11
Continue on IL 81
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Court Street
12
Turn right onto South Prospect Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Prospect Street
13
Arrive at destination
North Prospect Street
Trip Plan
For this 140.6-mile drive taking under 3 hours, you have a lot of flexibility. Aiming for a morning departure means you'll arrive with plenty of the day left. The fuel cost is estimated at $22, so ensure your tank is full before leaving Naperville. With only one stop suggested, you can easily manage your breaks. Pay attention to the transition from I 80 to surface roads like South Oakwood Avenue as you get closer to Cambridge; this change can sometimes be less clearly marked than major highway interchanges.
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 70.3 miles from Naperville, IL, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106.2 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 31 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.3 miles or 1h 27m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cambridge, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Naperville, 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 Naperville, IL
This is one driving day of about 140.6 miles and 2h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Naperville, 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 80 for about 106.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
70 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 70.3 miles from Naperville, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 106.2 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
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 129.7 — 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
|
North Washington Street
Depart onto North Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
22.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Iowa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 250B
Toward I 80 West: Iowa
5
23.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
129.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 30m in
Take the exit toward IL 82: Cambridge, Geneseo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 82: Cambridge, Geneseo
4
129.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 31m in
|
IL 82 / South Oakwood Avenue
Turn left onto IL 82 / South Oakwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.97 one way
$43.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
49 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.37 | $24.18 | $48.37 |
| premium | $4.88 | $27.00 | $54.00 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $29.62 | $59.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 49.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-27.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 42.2 | 0 | $14.76 | $6.75 |
| Efficient EV | 35.2 | 0 | $12.30 | $5.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 56.2 | 0 | $19.68 | $9.00 |
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 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
Cambridge, IL
Late night in Cambridge on Wednesday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
70°F
Central, IL
70 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
3 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 50m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 84% of the 140.6 miles on interstates like I 80 and I 55. You'll experience a long stretch of 106.2 miles on I 80, indicating extended highway cruising. Surface roads, including South Oakwood Avenue, will likely appear later in the trip as you approach Cambridge. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and numerous exits on the highway portions, transitioning to a more local feel on the final stretch.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 106.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 55. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Washington 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 2h 50m 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 (North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Naperville, IL to Cambridge, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Geneseo along the way.
Geneseo
129.4 mi in
|
~2h 30m
About the Cities
Starting in Naperville, IL
Full guide →Founded 1890
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.
Arriving in Cambridge, 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 2h 50m. Total distance: 140.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 106.2 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles (I 80): 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 Cambridge, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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