North Peoria, IL to Mount Vernon, IL is 200.6 miles and takes about 4 hours 3 minutes via I 155 and I 55, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. The route is primarily highway driving, making it a straightforward option for a single-day excursion. You'll be covering a good portion of the state, so plan for a consistent pace.
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
100.3 miles from North Peoria, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 155
31.8 mi
34m
I 55
30.2 mi
32m
IL 29
23.1 mi
31m
I 57
21.4 mi
23m
300 East Road
15.1 mi
17m
United States Highway 51
13.4 mi
15m
County Road 875 East
11.1 mi
12m
250E
10.4 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
I 155
— 31.8 mi, about 34m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,989 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,473
Quietest
2 AM
~178 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 94 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 Peoria, IL and Mount Vernon, IL.
1
Start on East McClure Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·East McClure Avenue
2
Turn left onto IL 40
1.0 mi·1 min·North Knoxville Avenue
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 74 East: Bloomington
4
Merge onto I 74
7.9 mi·9 min·I 74
5
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 155 South: Lincoln
6
Continue on I 155
32 mi·34 min·I 155
7
Merge onto I 55
30 mi·32 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Toward IL 29 South: Taylorville
9
Merge onto IL 29
1.5 mi·2 min·IL 29
10
Continue on IL 29
4.7 mi·7 min·IL 29
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on IL 29
1.3 mi·2 min·IL 29
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on IL 29
16 mi·19 min·IL 29
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on IL 29
0.4 mi·34 sec·North Webster Street
14
Turn left onto IL 29
5.3 mi·7 min·West Park Street
15
Continue on IL 29
5.1 mi·7 min·State Route 29
16
Continue on IL 29
5.4 mi·7 min·N 2000 East Road
17
Continue on IL 29
0.6 mi·1 min·West Washington Street
18
Turn right onto North Poplar Street
0.6 mi·1 min·North Poplar Street
19
Turn straight onto US 51
0.6 mi·2 min·Fair Avenue
20
Continue on US 51
2.0 mi·2 min·County Road 2400 E
21
Continue on US 51
15 mi·17 min·300 East Road
22
Continue on US 51
11 mi·12 min·County Road 875 East
23
Continue on US 51
1.5 mi·1 min·North Kennedy Boulevard
24
Turn left onto US 40; US 51; IL 185
0.5 mi·34 sec·West Gallatin Street
25
Turn right
0.1 mi·7 sec
26
Continue on US 51
13 mi·15 min·United States Highway 51
27
Continue on US 51
10 mi·11 min·250E
28
Turn left onto US 50
7.6 mi·8 min·US 50
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
30
Merge onto I 57
21 mi·23 min·I 57
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward IL 15: Ashley, Mt. Vernon
32
Turn straight onto IL 15
2.8 mi·5 min·Broadway Street
33
Arrive at destination
IL 15
Trip Plan
Given this is a single-day trip, leaving in the morning will give you ample time to reach your destination without feeling rushed. With a 4-hour drive, you'll only need one planned stop for fuel or a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the 31.8-mile stretch on I 155, to ensure you don't need to detour for gas. Since the drive is relatively short, you have the flexibility to adjust your stop timing as needed.
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 100.3 miles from North Peoria, IL, or about 2h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 31.8 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 44 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.3 miles or 2h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mount Vernon, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Peoria, 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 Peoria, IL
This is one driving day of about 200.6 miles and 4h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from North Peoria, 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 155 for about 31.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 197.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.5 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 74 East: Bloomington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 74 East: Bloomington
4
9.7 mi into trip|~13m in
Take the exit toward I 155 South: Lincoln
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 155 South: Lincoln
5
42.3 mi into trip|~49m in|I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
72.5 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward IL 29 South: Taylorville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IL 29 South: Taylorville
5
197.5 mi into trip|~3h 57m in
Take the exit toward IL 15: Ashley, Mt. Vernon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 15: Ashley, Mt. Vernon
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.46 one way
$66.92 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$36.51
$73.02
premium
$5.25
$41.49
$82.97
diesel
$6.28
$49.57
$99.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
EV Charging Along Route
35 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Springfield, IL - South Dirksen Parkway - Tesla Supercharger
Springfield, IL
Tesla
16 DCFC
East Peoria, IL - Tesla Supercharger
East Peoria, IL
Tesla
12 DCFC
Springfield, IL - West Jefferson Street - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.2
0
$21.06
$9.63
Efficient EV
50.2
0
$17.55
$8.02
EV Truck/SUV
80.2
1
$28.08
$12.84
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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.
Forecast as of Oct 23, 2026
Origin
North Peoria, IL
Morning
in North Peoria on Friday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Sunny
SSE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued October 23 at 7:03AM CDT until October 23 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Mount Vernon, IL
Morning
in Mount Vernon on Friday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
ESE 1 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued October 23 at 7:03AM CDT until October 23 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 3m 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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect to spend about 70% of your time on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 31.8 miles on I 155. The drive begins on surface roads before transitioning to Interstate 155. As you merge onto I 55, you'll encounter a more urban merging feel. The remaining 30% of the drive will be on surface roads, offering a change of pace.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.8 mi on I 155.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 155 and I 55. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 200.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 42.3 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 3m. Total distance: 200.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.8 miles on I 155. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 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.
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 Mount Vernon, 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. There are 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 42.3 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Mount Vernon, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
