Origin
Northlake, IL
Late night in Northlake on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Northlake, IL to Evanston, 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
35m
Distance
18.8 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Northlake, IL
Sean Ewing
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 18.8-mile drive from Northlake, IL, to Evanston, IL, is a quick 35-minute trip, making it a perfect option for a single-day excursion. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, it’s an economical choice for exploring the Midwest. The route primarily utilizes local streets like Oakton Street and East Touhy Avenue, with a brief stint on the Tri-State Tollway. Given its short distance and turn-heavy local drive profile, this trip is best suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility without the need for an overnight stay. It offers a practical way to navigate between two Illinois communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Oakton Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| East Touhy Avenue | 3 mi | 5m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| North Mannheim Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| West Howard Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Dickens Avenue | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| North Harlem Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Oakton Street
— 4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northlake, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on East Dickens Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Dickens Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 12; US 45
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
North Mannheim Road
3
Turn right onto IL 19
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Irving Park Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
5
Merge onto I 294
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Touhy Avenue
10
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto West Howard Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Howard Street
12
Turn left onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
13
Continue on Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Gross Point Road
14
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
15
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
17
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 18.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
6
7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
8
7.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
7
18.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.94 one way
$5.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.23 | $6.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.62 | $7.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.18
Tri-state Tollway
(2.9 mi)
$0.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Evanston, IL
Late night in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
2 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
35m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for most of this 18.8-mile journey. While the highway share is 0%, you will encounter some tollway driving on the Tri-State Tollway. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 4 miles on Oakton Street, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before returning to more frequent turns. This route demands your attention as you navigate through urban and suburban landscapes, making it feel more like a series of interconnected neighborhood drives rather than a continuous highway cruise. The character of the road shifts as you transition between different local roads and the occasional tollway segment.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4 mi on Oakton Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 4 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 18.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Northlake, IL to Evanston, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Touhy Avenue East along the way.
Touhy Avenue East
7.5 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Starting in Northlake, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 35m. Total distance: 18.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4 miles on Oakton Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.18 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 Evanston, 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 4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Evanston, 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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