Origin
Palatine, IL
Late night in Palatine on Sunday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to Elmwood Park, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
21 mi
34 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 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elmwood Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Palatine, IL to Elmwood Park, IL is 21 miles and takes about 33 minutes via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, local drive that stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. Expect a drive with a higher proportion of turns and local road navigation rather than continuous highway cruising. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a quick, same-day excursion with minimal planning needed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| North Cumberland Avenue | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| IL 53 | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Grand Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Hicks Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Cumberland flyover | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Thatcher Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 9.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palatine, IL and Elmwood Park, IL.
1
Start on East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Palatine Road
2
Turn right onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
3
Turn right onto Hicks Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hicks Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
66 ft
·
1 sec
·
Euclid Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward IL 53 South
6
Merge onto IL 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 53
7
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 53
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 53
Toward I 90 Toll: Rockford, Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
this road
Toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 90 Toll East
11
Merge onto I 90
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Toward Cumberland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
526 ft
·
29 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
14
Merge onto I 90
402 ft
·
4 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
15
Take the exit onto Cumberland flyover
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cumberland flyover
Exit 79A
Toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
245 ft
·
8 sec
Toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue
17
Turn right onto IL 171
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
North Cumberland Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on IL 171
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Thatcher Avenue
19
Turn left onto West Grand Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto 73rd Avenue
361 ft
·
11 sec
·
73rd Avenue
21
Turn right onto West Fullerton Avenue
190 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Fullerton Avenue
22
Turn left onto North 73rd Court
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
North 73rd Court
23
Turn left onto West Belden Avenue
160 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Belden Avenue
24
Turn right
186 ft
·
13 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 14.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hicks Road
Turn right onto Hicks Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 53 toward I 90 Toll: Rockford, Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Toll: Rockford, Chicago
6
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
7
14.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway toward Cumberland Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Cumberland Avenue
7
14.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Cumberland flyover
Take the exit onto Cumberland flyover toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 79A
Toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.28 one way
$6.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.60 | $7.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.66
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(9.4 mi)
$0.66
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 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 | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
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
Elmwood Park, IL
Late night in Elmwood Park on Sunday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
21 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
33m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 9% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.9 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. As you transition from the tollway, be prepared for more frequent turns and changes in road type as you navigate local streets. The overall driving experience will be more about managing intersections and local traffic patterns than covering long distances at high speeds.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.9 mi on Jane Addams 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 0.3 miles in near Hicks Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 21 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Hicks Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 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.
On the drive from Palatine, IL to Elmwood Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
2.7 mi in
|
~5m
|
via IL 53
About the Cities
Starting in Palatine, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Elmwood Park, IL
Full guide →Founded 1914
The Northwest Suburbs are in Chicagoland, primarily in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, centered along Metra’s North Central Service, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the city. For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.
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 33m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m 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 9.9 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.66 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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 3 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 Elmwood Park, 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 0.3 miles (Hicks Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 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 Elmwood Park, 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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