Origin
Riverton, IL
Late night in Riverton on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverton, IL to Springfield, 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
14m
Distance
7.4 mi
12 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverton, IL
Pho Tomass
Springfield, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit in the Midwest, the 7.4-mile trek from Riverton to Springfield is an ideal candidate. Lasting only about 14 minutes, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion where you can easily complete the journey in one sitting. You will spend roughly half of your time on highways, making this a highly efficient connection between the two Illinois towns. With fuel costs estimated at just $1, it is an incredibly budget-friendly drive. Whether you are commuting or just passing through, the transition between these two locations is seamless and requires zero planned stops. It is a practical, no-fuss route that keeps your travel time minimal.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Route 36 | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Clear Lake Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| I 72 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Jefferson Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South 7th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 7th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Lincoln Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Route 36
— 3.1 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverton, IL and Springfield, IL.
1
Start on East Lincoln Street
25 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Lincoln Street
2
Turn right onto South 7th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South 7th Street
3
Turn straight onto Old Route 36
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Route 36
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Old Route 36
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Route 36
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
6
Merge onto I 72; US 36
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
·
I 72; US 36
7
Continue on IL 97
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Clear Lake Avenue
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on IL 97
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto North 7th Street
406 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 7th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn left onto East Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Washington Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 7.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South 7th Street
Turn right onto South 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Old Route 36
Keep slight left at fork onto Old Route 36
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
6
7.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
North 7th Street
Turn left onto North 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
7.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
East Washington Street
Turn left onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.16 one way
$2.31 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.27 | $2.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.42 | $2.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.63 | $3.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.78 | $0.36 |
| Efficient EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.65 | $0.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.47 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Springfield, IL
Late night in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
14m 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 drive offers a mixed-road profile that balances local access with faster transit. You will navigate a combination of Old Route 36, Clear Lake Avenue, and I-72 to reach your destination. The highway share sits at 50 percent, providing a quick pace for half of your journey while allowing for a more relaxed transition on surface streets. Expect your longest uninterrupted stretch to be 3.1 miles while traveling along Old Route 36. As you move from Riverton to Springfield, you will notice the road character shift from local thoroughfares to the more structured environment of the interstate system.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.1 mi on Old Route 36.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 7th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 7.4 miles you will encounter 6 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: near the start (South 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Old Route 36): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Springfield, IL
Full guide →Founded 1840
Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.
Top landmarks
- • Illinois State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois
- • Lincoln Tomb — tomb of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, United States
- • Lincoln Home National Historic Site — national historic site in Illinois, USA
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 14m. Total distance: 7.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.1 miles on Old Route 36. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (South 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Old Route 36): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Springfield, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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