The drive from North Pekin, IL to Markham, IL covers 150.9 miles and takes about 2h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, I 80, I 74 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.7 miles on I 55.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
75.4 miles from North Pekin, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
86.7 mi
1h 33m
I 80
27.6 mi
34m
I 74
27 mi
28m
I 474
4.8 mi
5m
Kedzie Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
South Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Radio City Drive
0.3 mi
<1m
163rd Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 86.7 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,093 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,450
Quietest
2 AM
~146 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 43 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 North Pekin, IL and Markham, IL.
1
Start on South Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·South Main Street
2
Turn right onto IL 29
0.3 mi·25 sec·Radio City Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.6 mi·1 min
4
Merge onto I 474
4.8 mi·5 min·I 474
5
Merge onto I 74
27 mi·28 min·I 74
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi·2 min
Toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 55; US 51
87 mi·1 hr 33 min·I 55; US 51
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 250AToward I 80 East: IndianaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 80
28 mi·34 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Exit 154Toward Kedzie AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·Kedzie Avenue
12
Turn left onto 163rd Street
64 ft·2 sec·163rd Street
13
Arrive at destination
163rd Street
Trip Plan
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 75.4 miles from North Pekin, IL, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.7 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 33 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75.4 miles or 1h 23m 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 Markham, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Pekin, 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 North Pekin, IL
This is one driving day of about 150.9 miles and 2h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from North Pekin, 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 86.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Home stretch
4.7 mi from route
~12 min detour
Inexpensiv
New Lenox, Illinois
Hours: 2–9 pm
+18157178097
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 33.4 and 149.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
33.4 mi into trip|~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
5
34.8 mi into trip|~39m in|I 55; US 51
Merge onto I 55; US 51
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
121.5 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
5
122.2 mi into trip|~2h 14m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
149.9 mi into trip|~2h 48m in
Take the exit toward Kedzie Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 154
Toward Kedzie Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.02 one way
$46.04 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$25.36
$50.71
premium
$4.81
$28.55
$57.10
diesel
$5.40
$32.10
$64.20
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 52.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
EV Charging Along Route
27 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Normal, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Rivian Waypoints
Normal, Illinois
Rivian
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
East Peoria, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
East Peoria, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
InCharge Charging Station
Morton, Illinois
InCharge
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
East Peoria, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 10
Other: 8
Tesla: 3
Rivian: 2
InCharge: 1
Electrify America: 1
EV Connect: 1
Tesla Destination: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.3
0
$15.84
$7.24
Efficient EV
37.7
0
$13.20
$6.04
EV Truck/SUV
60.4
0
$21.13
$9.66
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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 Apr 26, 2026
Origin
North Pekin, IL
Morning
in North Pekin on Sunday
Local time
9:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Sunny
ESE 5 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 4:59AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 4:55AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Markham, IL
Morning
in Markham on Sunday
Local time
9:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
E 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 4:59AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 26 at 4:55AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
62°F
Pontiac, IL
75 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
11 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
2h 50m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 150.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
150.9 mi in 2h 50m, mostly highway — 86.7 mi of that is on I 55.
97% 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: 86.7 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 80. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 33.4 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 150.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 33.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.8 miles (I 55; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 121.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 50m. Total distance: 150.9 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 (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.7 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Markham, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 33.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.8 miles (I 55; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 121.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Markham, IL before heading back.
