Piasa, IL to Cicero, IL is 263.1 miles and takes about 5h 4m via I 55 and IL 16, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, primarily traveling through Illinois. You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, making it a straightforward drive. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a solid option for a quick trip between these two points, especially if you're looking for efficiency.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
131.5 miles from Piasa, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
233.6 mi
4h 18m
IL 16
16.8 mi
25m
8000N
8.1 mi
12m
South Cicero Avenue
1.4 mi
2m
West Railroad Street
1.2 mi
1m
South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
West 31st Street
0.5 mi
<1m
County Road 1200 N
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 233.6 mi, about 4h 18m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,743 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,333
Quietest
2 AM
~157 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Piasa, IL and Cicero, IL.
1
Start on Piasa Road
125 ft·7 sec·Piasa Road
2
Turn right onto IL 16
3.7 mi·5 min·8000N
3
Continue on IL 16
1.2 mi·1 min·West Railroad Street
4
Continue on IL 16
4.4 mi·6 min·8000N
5
Turn left onto IL 16
17 mi·25 min·IL 16
6
Continue on IL 16
376 ft·23 sec·County Road 1200 N
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward I 55 North: Springfield
8
Merge onto I 55
74 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 55
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
29 mi·31 min·I 55
Toward I 55 North: ChicagoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55
130 mi·2 hr 27 min·I 55
Toward I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, PeoriaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·51 sec
Exit 286Toward IL 50: Cicero AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto IL 50
1.4 mi·2 min·South Cicero Avenue
13
Turn left onto West 31st Street
0.5 mi·58 sec·West 31st Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South Laramie Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
South Laramie Avenue
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour drive, consider an early morning departure to maximize your daylight and avoid potential afternoon traffic. Since it's a single-day trip, you can easily complete it without an overnight stay. There's only one recommended stop, suggesting you can push through most of the 233.6-mile stretch on I 55 before needing to refuel or rest. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Cicero, as the denser urban environment might have varying gas prices.
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 131.5 miles from Piasa, IL, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 233.6 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 58 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.5 miles or 2h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cicero, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Piasa, 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 Piasa, IL
This is one driving day of about 263.1 miles and 5h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Piasa, 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 233.6 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 9.3 and 261.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
9.3 mi into trip|~13m in|IL 16
Turn left onto IL 16
Navigation decision point
7
100.5 mi into trip|~2h in|I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
8
129.9 mi into trip|~2h 31m in|I 55
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
7
260.2 mi into trip|~4h 59m in
Take the exit toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 286
Toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
6
261.9 mi into trip|~5h 2m in|West 31st Street
Turn left onto West 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.89 one way
$87.78 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg92 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$47.70
$95.40
premium
$5.26
$54.47
$108.95
diesel
$6.18
$64.00
$128.01
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
78.9
0
$27.63
$12.63
Efficient EV
65.8
0
$23.02
$10.52
EV Truck/SUV
105.2
1
$36.83
$16.84
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Piasa, IL
Morning
in Piasa on Tuesday
Local time
6:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
SE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cicero, IL
Morning
in Cicero on Tuesday
Local time
6:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Sunny
SSW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
76°F
Bloomington, IL
132 mi in
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
4 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
5h 4m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
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...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 263.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway, with 95% of the drive on major roads. You'll encounter 233.6 miles on I 55, which means you'll be on a high-speed, limited-access road for the vast majority of your travel. The transition to surface roads like IL 16 will occur near the end of your trip, likely involving more frequent exits and potentially slower speeds as you approach your destination.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 233.6 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and IL 16. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 9.3 miles in near IL 16.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 263.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 9.3 miles (IL 16): Navigation decision point; at 100.5 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 129.9 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
811 ft573 ft
Total Climb
463 ft
Total Descent
455 ft
Highest Point
811 ft
~131.5 mi in
Elevation Range
239 ft
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 Piasa, IL to Cicero, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Peoria along the way.
Cicero is a town of 81,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland area, just west of the Chicago city limits. It became famous when gangster Al Capone moved here to escape from the Chicago Police in the early 1920s.
Top landmarks
•Hawthorne Works — Factory complex in Cicero, Illinois
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 4m. Total distance: 263.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 233.6 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 27 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.
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. There are 27 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.3 miles (IL 16): Navigation decision point; at 100.5 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 129.9 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument and Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cicero, IL before the return drive.
