Niles, IL to Kirkland, IL is 63.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and IL 23, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest's suburban expanse toward more rural farmland. With a short duration and minimal fuel cost, this trip is ideal for a quick day trip or as a segment of a larger Midwest adventure. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to connect these two points without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
40.7 mi
43m
IL 23
10 mi
14m
Illinois 72
6.9 mi
10m
West Touhy Avenue
2.8 mi
5m
South Dee Road
1 mi
2m
Devon Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
North Waukegan Road
0.4 mi
<1m
South State Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 40.7 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Niles, IL and Kirkland, IL.
1
Start on North Waukegan Road
0.4 mi·44 sec·North Waukegan Road
2
Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue
507 ft·17 sec·North Milwaukee Avenue
3
Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue
2.8 mi·5 min·West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto South Dee Road
1.0 mi·2 min·South Dee Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Devon Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·Devon Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 90 West TollUse the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 90
41 mi·43 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 36Toward IL 23: Marengo, GenoaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Enter roundabout onto IL 23
229 ft·3 sec·South State Street
10
Continue on IL 23
0.3 mi·22 sec·South State Street
11
Enter roundabout onto IL 23
140 ft·2 sec·IL 23
12
Continue on IL 23
6.1 mi·9 min·IL 23
13
Continue on IL 23; IL 72
3.8 mi·5 min·IL 23; IL 72
14
Turn straight onto IL 72
6.9 mi·10 min·Illinois 72
15
Turn left onto South 6th Street
53 ft·2 sec·South 6th Street
16
Arrive at destination
South 6th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 31.8 miles from Niles, 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 46.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|West Touhy Avenue
Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in|South Dee Road
Turn left onto South Dee Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.3 mi into trip|~8m in|Devon Avenue
Turn right onto Devon Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
46.1 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Genoa
6
46.9 mi into trip|~55m in|IL 23
Enter roundabout onto IL 23
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.88 one way
$19.75 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg22 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$10.83
$21.66
premium
$4.93
$12.36
$24.72
diesel
$5.60
$14.04
$28.08
Estimated Tolls: $2.85
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(40.7 mi)$2.85
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$3
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.1
0
$6.69
$3.06
Efficient EV
15.9
0
$5.57
$2.55
EV Truck/SUV
25.5
0
$8.92
$4.08
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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 Aug 23, 2026
Origin
Niles, IL
Afternoon
in Niles on Friday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Clear
NW 5 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 22 at 8:49PM CDT until August 28 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 22 at 8:49PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Destination
Kirkland, IL
Afternoon
in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 22 at 8:49PM CDT until August 28 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 22 at 8:49PM 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
4 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
1h 21m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features 16% highway driving, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 40.7 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. After this highway segment, you'll transition to surface roads, primarily using IL 23 and Illinois 72. Expect a change in pace as you leave the tollway, moving from faster highway cruising to more typical surface road driving with local traffic and intersections.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40.7 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Touhy Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
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 63.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (South Dee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Devon Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
909 ft633 ft
Total Climb
411 ft
Total Descent
278 ft
Highest Point
909 ft
~36.4 mi in
Elevation Range
276 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 Niles, IL to Kirkland, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Genoa along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 63.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (16%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 40.7 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.85 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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.
Yes — we found about 9 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 0.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (South Dee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Devon Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Kirkland, IL before heading back.
