Origin
North Chicago, IL
Late night in North Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Chicago, IL to Elk Grove, 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
42m
Distance
32.9 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Chicago, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elk Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
North Chicago, IL to Elk Grove, IL is 32.9 miles and takes about 42m via Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward trip that won't eat up your day, making it ideal for a quick transfer or if you're looking to get to your destination without much fuss. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to get from point A to point B within the greater Chicago area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 22.7 mi | 27m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Buckley Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Bobby E. Thompson Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Elmhurst Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Sheridan Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Fellows Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 18th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 22.7 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Chicago, IL and Elk Grove, IL.
1
Start on Fellows Place
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Fellows Place
2
Turn right onto 18th Street
155 ft
·
10 sec
·
18th Street
3
Turn right onto IL 137
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
Sheridan Road
4
Continue on IL 137
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Bobby E. Thompson Expressway
5
Turn right onto IL 137
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Buckley Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 94 Toll East: Chicago
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 94
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 90 West: Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 90
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 73
Toward Elmhurst Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on this road
516 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 73
Toward Elmhurst Road
15
Keep slight left at fork
305 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Elmhurst Road
Use the slight left lane.
16
Turn left onto South Elmhurst Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Elmhurst Road
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
South Elmhurst Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 32.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IL 137 / Buckley Road
Turn right onto IL 137 / Buckley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
16 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
7
27.8 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Rockford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 West: Rockford
7
31.4 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Elmhurst Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 73
Toward Elmhurst Road
8
32.1 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Elmhurst Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Elmhurst Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.14 one way
$10.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.65 | $11.29 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.33 | $12.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.26 | $14.53 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.57
Tri-state Tollway
(22.7 mi)
$1.36
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(3 mi)
$0.21
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Elk Grove, IL
Late night in Elk Grove on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
4 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
42m 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 surface roads, with 33% on highways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 22.7 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, which is a major highway. The remaining portion of your trip will be on surface streets, so expect more frequent intersections and potentially denser traffic as you approach your destination. The transition from tollway to surface roads is a key change to be aware of.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.7 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near IL 137 / Buckley Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 32.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 North Chicago, IL to Elk Grove, IL, road signs begin pointing toward O'hare along the way.
O'hare
16 mi in
|
~20m
|
via I 294
About the Cities
Starting in North Chicago, IL
Full guide →North Chicago is a suburb in Chicagoland.
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 42m. Total distance: 32.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.7 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.57 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Elk Grove, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 1.6 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elk Grove, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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