Origin
Oswego, IL
Late night in Oswego on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oswego, 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
1h 21m
Distance
51.4 mi
83 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oswego, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 52.6 miles, this trip from Oswego to Evanston is a straightforward journey through the Illinois Midwest. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 16 minutes behind the wheel, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $8, this drive is as cost-effective as it is efficient. Since the entire route is within the state of Illinois, you won't need to worry about regional transitions or overnight logistics. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, the short duration offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 15.7 mi | 19m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 9.9 mi | 13m |
| US 34 | 8.4 mi | 14m |
| Oakton Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| Illinois Route 59 | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| East Touhy Avenue | 3 mi | 5m |
| West Howard Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 15.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oswego, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on East Washington Street
53 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Washington Street
2
Turn right onto US 34
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Madison Street
3
Continue on US 34
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Chicago Road
4
Turn left onto US 34
8.4 mi
·
14 min
·
US 34
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto IL 59
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit ddi
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
11
Merge onto I 294
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Touhy Avenue
16
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto West Howard Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Howard Street
18
Turn left onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
19
Continue on Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Gross Point Road
20
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
21
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
23
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Oswego, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 12.5 and 51.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
12.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit ddi
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
8
28.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rock...
7
39.6 mi into trip
|
~58m 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
8
40.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 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
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.04 one way
$16.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.82 | $17.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.35 | $22.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.54
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(15.7 mi)
$0.94
Tri-state Tollway
(9.9 mi)
$0.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.20 | $3.29 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Evanston, IL
Late night in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 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
5 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
1h 21m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged throughout the 52.6-mile trek. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route relies entirely on local roads like Madison Street, Chicago Road, and Route 59, meaning your highway share is exactly 0%. You will navigate a series of varied turns rather than long, high-speed stretches, requiring your full attention on the road ahead. The character of the drive shifts as you transition between suburban corridors and local thoroughfares. Because there are no long, uninterrupted highway segments, the pace remains steady and grounded in local infrastructure.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.7 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial 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 12.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.4 miles you will encounter 19 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 12.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 28.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Between Oswego, IL and Evanston, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue East.
Rockford
28.8 mi in
|
~44m
Milwaukee
29.4 mi in
|
~45m
Touhy Avenue East
40.2 mi in
|
~1h
About the Cities
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 1h 21m. Total distance: 51.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m 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 15.7 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.54 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan Memorial 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.
Yes — we found about 2 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 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 12.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 28.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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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