Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 47m
Distance
85.1 mi
137 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Planning a trip from Rockford, IL to Cicero, IL? This 85.1-mile drive will take you approximately 1 hour and 47 minutes, making it a feasible day trip. You'll be navigating primarily via the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and I-290, with a portion on West State Street. With a projected fuel cost of $13, this route stays within the Midwest region, offering a straightforward journey. Consider this drive for its directness, as it's designed for efficient travel between these two Illinois locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.5 miles from Rockford, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 49.5 mi | 53m |
| I 290 | 23.2 mi | 30m |
| West State Street | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Charles Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| South Laramie Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Alpine Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Harrison Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Roosevelt Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Cicero, IL.
Start on West State Street
Turn right onto South Alpine Road
Continue on South Alpine Road
Turn right
Turn right onto Charles Street
Turn right onto South Mall Drive
Turn left onto Harrison Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 39; US 51
Take the exit
Merge onto I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on this road
Merge onto I 290; IL 53
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
Take the exit
Turn right onto South Central Avenue
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Road
Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given the relatively short duration of just under two hours, this trip from Rockford to Cicero offers excellent flexibility. You can easily depart at your convenience, though avoiding peak rush hour traffic on I-290 is advisable. There are no suggested stops, but feel free to pull over as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, with an estimated cost of $13 for the 85.1 miles. A practical tip for this route: be mindful of the transition from the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway to I-290, as this is where the road character shifts significantly.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 19 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.5 miles or 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cicero, IL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Rockford, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Rockford, IL
This is one driving day of about 85.1 miles and 1h 47m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 42.5 miles from Rockford, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 28.6 and 82.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$13.30 one way
$26.61 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $14.61 | $29.22 |
| premium | $4.89 | $16.38 | $32.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.79 | $37.58 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.46
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
$13
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.5 | 0 | $8.94 | $4.08 |
| Efficient EV | 21.3 | 0 | $7.45 | $3.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34 | 0 | $11.91 | $5.45 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Rockford on Tuesday
Local time
9:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Cicero on Tuesday
Local time
9:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route presents a "turn-heavy local drive" profile, despite a significant portion of highway travel. While 27% of the drive is on highways, you'll experience a mix of faster-paced sections and more intricate local road navigation. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 49.5 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a period of consistent speed. Be prepared for frequent changes in road type and speed limits as you transition from tollways to surface streets.
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 28.6 miles in near I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 85.1 miles you will encounter 16 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 28.6 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Rockford, IL to Cicero, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Suburbs along the way.
Suburbs
Rockford is a city in the Rock River Valley in Northern Illinois. With a population of over 145,000 (2019), it is the third largest city in the state.
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 85.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Rockford, IL or browse trips ending in Cicero, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.
