Rail Splitter Rest Area - Southbound
0 mi from route
Trip from Naperville, IL to Smithton, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 24m
Distance
280.3 mi
451 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 11m
★
6 AM
5h 25m
8 AM
5h 51m
10 AM
5h 34m
12 PM
5h 31m
3 PM
5h 35m
5 PM
5h 50m
8 PM
5h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Naperville, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Smithton, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
Naperville to Smithton is 280.3 miles and takes about 5h 24m via I 55, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays entirely within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a straightforward drive with most of your time spent on the interstate. It's a practical option for a single-day trip between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
140.2 miles from Naperville, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 42m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 248.6 mi | 4h 29m |
| North Illinois Street | 9.8 mi | 15m |
| South Illinois Street | 7.5 mi | 11m |
| North Washington Street | 5.3 mi | 11m |
| Weber Road | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| Vandalia Street | 3 mi | 4m |
| South Morrison Avenue | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Washington Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 248.6 mi, about 4h 29m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,633 veh/hr typical · worst 2,039
Quietest
2 AM
~154 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 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 Smithton, 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
106 mi
·
1 hr 55 min
·
I 55
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
65 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55
78 mi
·
1 hr 23 min
·
I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 15A
Toward IL 159 South: Collinsville
9
Continue on IL 159
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Vandalia Street
10
Continue on IL 159
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Morrison Avenue
11
Continue on IL 159
9.8 mi
·
15 min
·
North Illinois Street
12
Enter roundabout onto IL 159
181 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Illinois Street
13
Continue on IL 159
7.4 mi
·
11 min
·
South Illinois Street
14
Turn left onto Breckenridge Street
37 ft
·
1 sec
·
Breckenridge Street
15
Arrive at destination
Breckenridge Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 24m drive time, leaving Naperville in the morning is recommended to ensure you arrive in Smithton with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. The fuel cost is estimated at $50, so factor that into your budget. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the long 248.6-mile stretch on I 55, as services can sometimes be spaced out on interstates.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 140.2 miles from Naperville, IL, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 248.6 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 62 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.2 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smithton, 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 280.3 miles and 5h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 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 55 for about 248.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
140 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 62 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 140.2 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 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 248.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Homestead Rest Area - Southbound
0 mi from route
Rail Splitter Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Dixie Trucker's Home
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Coalfield Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Funks Grove Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Limestone Rest Area (Southbound)
0.1 mi from route
Limestone Rest Area (Northbound)
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Homestead Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.3 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.4 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.5 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.6 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.1 mi from route
Rest Area
1.7 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 10 and 272.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
10 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
115.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 16m in
|
I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
7
180.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 26m in
|
I 55
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
5
258.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 50m in
Take the exit toward IL 159 South: Collinsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 15A
Toward IL 159 South: Collinsville
5
272.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 13m in
|
IL 159 / South Illinois Street
Enter roundabout onto IL 159 / South Illinois Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.39 one way
$82.79 round trip
$3.75/gal
25.4 MPG avg
98 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $45.70 | $91.40 |
| premium | $4.72 | $52.04 | $104.09 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $52.93 | $105.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 84.1 | 1 | $29.43 | $13.45 |
| Efficient EV | 70.1 | 0 | $24.53 | $11.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 112.1 | 1 | $39.24 | $17.94 |
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Naperville, IL
Afternoon in Naperville on Sunday
Local time
2:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Clear
SW 5 to 10 mph
15% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:11PM CDT until July 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:11PM CDT until July 19 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Destination
Smithton, IL
Afternoon in Smithton on Sunday
Local time
2:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
SW 5 mph
3% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:11PM CDT until July 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:11PM CDT until July 19 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
67°F
Athens, IL
140 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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 24m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Free
near mile 174
View on nps.gov
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
Free
near mile 9.7
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily highway, with 89% of the route on interstates. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on I 55, with one continuous stretch of 248.6 miles on this highway. Surface roads, including North Illinois Street and South Illinois Street, will become more prominent as you approach your destination.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 248.6 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and North Illinois Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 10 miles in near I 55.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 280.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 10 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.8 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 180.7 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
774 ft
472 ft
Total Climb
302 ft
Total Descent
539 ft
Highest Point
774 ft
~100.1 mi in
Elevation Range
302 ft
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 Smithton, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Springfield along the way.
Springfield
115.8 mi in
|
~2h 16m
|
via I 55
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 Smithton, 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 5h 24m. Total distance: 280.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 248.6 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 29 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.
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. There are 29 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 10 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.8 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 180.7 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument and Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Smithton, IL before the return drive.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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