Origin
Preston Heights, IL
Morning in Preston Heights on Tuesday
Local time
8:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Preston Heights, IL to Des Plaines, 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 9m
Distance
50.6 mi
81 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 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Preston Heights, IL
Eddie O.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Preston Heights to Des Plaines is 50.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 9 minutes via Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a drive primarily on tollways, making it a straightforward journey for those looking to get from point A to point B efficiently. Given its relatively short duration, it’s a perfect option for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 16.6 mi | 20m |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 12 mi | 12m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| I 80 | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| South Chicago Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Touhy Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 16.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Preston Heights, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on Haviland Drive
200 ft
·
10 sec
·
Haviland Drive
2
Turn right onto Zurich Road
270 ft
·
7 sec
·
Zurich Road
3
Turn left onto IL 53
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Chicago Street
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 80 East: Gary Indiana
5
Merge onto I 80
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Exit 140
Toward I 355 North Toll: Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 355
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 12A
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 55
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.6 mi
·
3 min
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
12
Merge onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the right lane.
18
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
325 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Touhy Avenue
19
Turn slight right
339 ft
·
9 sec
20
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
21
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 25.3 miles from Preston Heights, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 8.2 and 48.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 355 North Toll: Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 140
Toward I 355 North Toll: Rockford
7
21.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 55 North: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12A
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
7
29.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
7
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m 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
48.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m 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
$7.91 one way
$15.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.69 | $17.37 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.74 | $19.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.17 | $22.34 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.83
Tri-state Tollway
(16.6 mi)
$0.99
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(12 mi)
$0.84
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: 17.7 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 | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| Efficient EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.43 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.08 | $3.24 |
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
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
8:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
3 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 9m 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 features a significant portion on major tollways, with 27% of the drive utilizing highways like the Tri-State Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, and Adlai Stevenson Expressway. You'll encounter a "turn-heavy local drive" profile, suggesting that while tollways are dominant, there are still navigational shifts to be aware of. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 16.6 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, offering a segment of consistent travel before you navigate other sections.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.6 mi on Tri-State 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 8.2 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 50.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
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 1h 9m. Total distance: 50.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m 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 16.6 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.83 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 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.1 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 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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