Origin
Oak Lawn, IL
Morning in Oak Lawn on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Lawn, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 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 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Lawn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 29.9-mile drive from Oak Lawn, IL, to Des Plaines, IL, is a straightforward, 44-minute trip primarily utilizing the Tri-State Tollway, West 95th Street, and South Des Plaines River Road. Given its short distance and duration, it's perfectly suited as a single-day excursion within the Midwest. You can anticipate a fuel cost of around $5 for this journey. The route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local drive than a long-haul highway experience. With no recommended overnight stops, this trip offers flexibility for departure times and on-the-road pacing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 23.4 mi | 29m |
| West 95th Street | 2.3 mi | 5m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| South Central Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 99th Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Touhy Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Mulberry Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 23.4 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Lawn, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on Mulberry Avenue
262 ft
·
16 sec
·
Mulberry Avenue
2
Turn left onto 99th Place
514 ft
·
24 sec
·
99th Place
3
Turn right onto South Central Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Central Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 12; US 20
2.3 mi
·
5 min
·
West 95th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 294
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the right lane.
12
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
325 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Touhy Avenue
13
Turn slight right
339 ft
·
9 sec
14
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
15
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 15.1 and 27.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
26.9 mi into trip
|
~38m 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
27 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
7
27.5 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Touhy Avenue West
8
27.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.67 one way
$9.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.13 | $10.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.75 | $11.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.40
Tri-state Tollway
(23.4 mi)
$1.40
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
20 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
44m 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 on this route, with a 0% highway share. While there's a significant uninterrupted stretch of 23.4 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, the overall character leans towards navigating local roads. This means you'll likely experience a mix of speeds and road types as you transition between the tollway and surface streets. The drive progresses by moving you through familiar Midwestern terrain, shifting from one suburban area to another. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction as you navigate through towns and connect different segments of your journey.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.4 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 15.1 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 11 decision points packed into just 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27 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 Oak Lawn, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Touhy Avenue West along the way.
Touhy Avenue West
27.5 mi in
|
~39m
About the Cities
Starting in Oak Lawn, IL
Full guide →Oak Lawn is a city of about 56,000 people (2016) in South Suburbs (Illinois), Chicagoland.
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 44m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m 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 23.4 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.40 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 Des Plaines, 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 15.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27 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 Des Plaines, 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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