Rockford to Edgewater is 80.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 45 minutes via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, East Touhy Avenue, and West Peterson Avenue, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Expect a route that primarily utilizes surface roads, offering a more local feel to your drive. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.2 miles from Rockford, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
55.4 mi
59m
East Touhy Avenue
5.5 mi
10m
West Peterson Avenue
4.1 mi
7m
West State Street
3.4 mi
6m
Charles Street
2.8 mi
5m
North Caldwell Avenue
2.5 mi
3m
West Touhy Avenue
2.3 mi
3m
South Alpine Road
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 55.4 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Edgewater, IL.
1
Start on West State Street
3.4 mi·6 min·West State Street
2
Turn right onto South Alpine Road
0.9 mi·1 min·South Alpine Road
3
Continue on South Alpine Road
359 ft·14 sec·South Alpine Road
4
Turn right
87 ft·3 sec
5
Turn right onto Charles Street
2.8 mi·5 min·Charles Street
6
Turn right onto South Mall Drive
388 ft·19 sec·South Mall Drive
7
Turn left onto Harrison Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Harrison Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
9
Merge onto I 39; US 51
0.2 mi·11 sec·I 39; US 51
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 East: Chicago
11
Merge onto I 90
20 mi·21 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
36 mi·38 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·41 sec
Exit 73Toward Elmhurst RoadUse the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
340 ft·8 sec
Toward Elmhurst Road SouthUse the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto South Elmhurst Road
0.6 mi·1 min·South Elmhurst Road
16
Turn left onto IL 72
2.3 mi·3 min·West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on East Touhy Avenue
5.5 mi·10 min·East Touhy Avenue
18
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi·3 min·North Caldwell Avenue
19
Continue on North Caldwell Avenue
0.2 mi·13 sec·North Caldwell Avenue
20
Continue on US 14
4.1 mi·7 min·West Peterson Avenue
21
Turn slight right onto US 14
0.6 mi·57 sec·North Ridge Avenue
Use the right lane.
22
Turn right onto North Wayne Avenue
0.2 mi·39 sec·North Wayne Avenue
23
At end of road, turn right onto West Bryn Mawr Avenue
56 ft·7 sec·West Bryn Mawr Avenue
24
Turn left onto North Wayne Avenue
73 ft·2 sec·North Wayne Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
North Wayne Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 45 minutes, you have a lot of flexibility with departure times. Leaving in the morning or mid-afternoon should allow you to avoid the worst of any potential traffic. With a fuel cost estimated at $12, it's a budget-friendly trip. Since there are no designated stops mentioned, consider this a drive where you can make spontaneous stops as needed. Pay attention to local speed limits once you transition off the tollway onto surface roads.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.2 miles from Rockford, IL, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.4 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 18 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.2 miles or 50m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Edgewater, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 80.5 miles and 1h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Rockford, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway for about 55.4 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 8.8 and 80.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.8 mi into trip|~16m in|I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.6 mi into trip|~38m in|I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
64.3 mi into trip|~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward Elmhurst Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 73
Toward Elmhurst Road
7
64.7 mi into trip|~1h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Elmhurst Road South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Elmhurst Road South
6
80.4 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|West Bryn Mawr Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.43 one way
$26.86 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$14.59
$29.19
premium
$5.26
$16.67
$33.33
diesel
$6.18
$19.58
$39.17
Estimated Tolls: $3.88
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(55.4 mi)$3.88
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
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.2
0
$8.45
$3.86
Efficient EV
20.1
0
$7.04
$3.22
EV Truck/SUV
32.2
0
$11.27
$5.15
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Rockford, IL
Morning
in Rockford on Sunday
Local time
9:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Sunny
WNW 0 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Edgewater, IL
Morning
in Edgewater on Sunday
Local time
9:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
W 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
54°F
Elk Grove, IL
40 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
1 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
1h 45m 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...
20 mi from route
~50 min detour
Free
near mile 80.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 55.4 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, after which you'll transition to surface streets. Be prepared for frequent intersections and traffic signals as you navigate East Touhy Avenue and West Peterson Avenue.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.4 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 8.8 miles in near I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 80.5 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 8.8 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
931 ft587 ft
Total Climb
439 ft
Total Descent
568 ft
Highest Point
931 ft
~34.5 mi in
Elevation Range
344 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 Rockford, IL to Edgewater, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Elmhurst Road South along the way.
Elmhurst Road South
64.7 mi in|~1h 16m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 45m. Total distance: 80.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.4 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.88 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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.
Yes — we found about 10 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.
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 Edgewater, 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 8.8 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.3 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 Edgewater, IL before heading back.
