Origin
Niles, IL
Late night in Niles on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Niles, IL to Riverside, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
14.2 mi
23 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Niles, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Niles, IL to Riverside, IL is 14.2 miles and takes about 30m via North 1st Avenue, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Illinois, and offers a straightforward drive. You'll navigate primarily local roads, making it a convenient option for a quick local excursion. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a same-day adventure with minimal planning required.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North 1st Avenue | 6.3 mi | 13m |
| North Harlem Avenue | 4.4 mi | 9m |
| West Forest Preserve Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| North Thatcher Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 31st Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Howard Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Cumberland Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North 1st Avenue
— 6.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Niles, IL and Riverside, IL.
1
Start on North Waukegan Road
14 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Waukegan Road
2
Turn left onto West Howard Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Howard Street
3
Turn sharp left onto IL 21
498 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
4
Turn slight right onto IL 43
4.4 mi
·
9 min
·
North Harlem Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto West Forest Preserve Drive
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
West Forest Preserve Drive
6
Turn left onto IL 171
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Cumberland Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on IL 171
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Thatcher Avenue
8
Turn straight onto IL 171
6.3 mi
·
13 min
·
North 1st Avenue
9
Turn left onto 31st Street
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
31st Street
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto Woodside Road
174 ft
·
4 sec
·
Woodside Road
11
Arrive at destination
Woodside Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.2 — 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
|
West Howard Street
Turn left onto West Howard Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue
Turn sharp left onto IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
6.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
IL 171 / North Cumberland Avenue
Turn left onto IL 171 / North Cumberland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
13.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
31st Street
Turn left onto 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
14.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Woodside Road
Turn right onto Woodside Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.22 one way
$4.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.44 | $4.87 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.73 | $5.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.14 | $6.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.49 | $0.68 |
| Efficient EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.24 | $0.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Riverside, IL
Late night in Riverside on Sunday
Local time
12:58 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
5 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
30m 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 is a turn-heavy local drive with 0% highway share. You'll experience a more intimate connection with the landscape as you navigate through neighborhoods and along main arteries. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.3 miles along North 1st Avenue. Expect a driving experience that requires constant attention to turns and traffic signals, rather than a high-speed cruise.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.3 mi on North 1st Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Howard 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 30m drive. You will face about 7 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 (West Howard Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 6.5 miles (IL 171 / North Cumberland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 14.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on North 1st Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (West Howard Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 6.5 miles (IL 171 / North Cumberland 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 Riverside, 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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