Peoria, IL to Bartlett, IL is 168.8 miles and takes about 3h 17m via I 55 and Veterans Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $26 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving you from one part of the Midwest to another. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on major highways, making it a convenient option for a single-day journey. You'll likely find it an efficient way to cover the distance without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84.4 miles from Peoria, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 34m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
105.3 mi
1h 55m
Murray Baker Bridge
33 mi
36m
Veterans Memorial Tollway
17.7 mi
22m
Lake Street
6.6 mi
11m
West Lake Street
1.1 mi
1m
North Avenue
1 mi
2m
IL 29
0.2 mi
<1m
Fayette Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 105.3 mi, about 1h 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Peoria, IL and Bartlett, IL.
1
Start on Northeast Jefferson Avenue
84 ft·5 sec·Northeast Jefferson Avenue
2
Turn right onto Hamilton Boulevard
464 ft·16 sec·Hamilton Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Northeast Madison Avenue
449 ft·16 sec·Northeast Madison Avenue
4
Turn right onto Fayette Street
469 ft·15 sec·Fayette Street
5
Take the ramp onto IL 29
0.2 mi·25 sec·IL 29
Toward I 74 East, IL 29 South: Bloomington, Pekin
6
Merge onto I 74; IL 29
33 mi·36 min·Murray Baker Bridge
7
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi·2 min
Toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
8
Merge onto I 55; US 51
105 mi·1 hr 55 min·I 55; US 51
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 269Toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest SuburbsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·2 min
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
11
Merge onto I 355
18 mi·22 min·Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 31Toward US 20: Lake StreetUse the slight right lane.
13
Turn left
113 ft·4 sec
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto US 20
5.8 mi·10 min·Lake Street
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi·1 min·Lake Street
16
Continue on US 20
1.1 mi·1 min·West Lake Street
17
Turn left onto North Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·North Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto North Oak Avenue
46 ft·1 sec·North Oak Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
North Oak Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 3 hours and 17 minutes, this is an ideal one-day trip. You can comfortably leave Peoria mid-morning and arrive in Bartlett with plenty of daylight to spare. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in when and where you might choose to break up the 168.8 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel as you approach the 105.3-mile mark on I 55, as services can sometimes be more spread out on longer highway stretches.
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 84.4 miles from Peoria, IL, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105.3 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 37 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.4 miles or 1h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bartlett, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving 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 Peoria, IL
This is one driving day of about 168.8 miles and 3h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from 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 55 for about 105.3 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 0 and 159.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Hamilton Boulevard
Turn right onto Hamilton Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Fayette Street
Turn right onto Fayette Street
Navigation decision point
6
33.4 mi into trip|~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
8
140.1 mi into trip|~2h 35m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
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 269
Toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest...
7
159.5 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 20: Lake Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.39 one way
$52.78 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$28.98
$57.95
premium
$4.89
$32.48
$64.97
diesel
$5.61
$37.27
$74.54
Estimated Tolls: $1.24
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(17.7 mi)$1.24
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.6
0
$17.72
$8.10
Efficient EV
42.2
0
$14.77
$6.75
EV Truck/SUV
67.5
0
$23.63
$10.80
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Peoria, IL
Late night
in Peoria on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Rain Showers Likely
NW 13 mph67% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:43AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Bartlett, IL
Late night
in Bartlett on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
20 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
3h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
Free
near mile 145.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 63% of the route utilizing major expressways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 105.3 miles on I 55, which forms the backbone of this journey. Expect mostly consistent highway speeds for the majority of your travel. While the route is largely direct, the transition onto the Veterans Memorial Tollway signals you're nearing your destination.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 105.3 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and Murray Baker Bridge. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Hamilton Boulevard.
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 168.8 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: near the start (Hamilton Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Fayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 33.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Peoria, IL to Bartlett, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Southwest Suburbs along the way.
Peoria is a city in Illinois and the county seat of Peoria County. It serves as a regional hub for the primarily rural and agricultural center of the state. Peoria is a small but diverse city of approximately 115,000 people that anchors a three-county metropolitan area of nearly 400,000.
Top landmarks
•Madison Theatre — theater and former movie theater in Peoria, Illinois, United States
•Hotel Père Marquette — hotel in downtown Peoria, Illinois
•Illinois Waterway Project Office — U.S. Army Core of Engineers facility in Peoria, Illinois
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 17m. Total distance: 168.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 105.3 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.24 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Bartlett, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Hamilton Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Fayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 33.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Bartlett, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
