Origin
Rockford, IL
Morning in Rockford on Tuesday
Local time
10:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockford, IL to Riley, 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
41m
Distance
29.4 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Rockford, IL to Riley, IL is 29.4 miles and takes about 41 minutes via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Illinois, and primarily uses surface roads. It's a straightforward drive that won't eat up your day, making it ideal if you're looking for a quick local excursion or an easy connection between two points without much fuss. Consider this route for its efficiency and ease of navigation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 18.5 mi | 19m |
| West State Street | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Charles Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| South Alpine Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Harmony Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Harrison Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Riley Road | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| IL 23 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 18.5 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Riley, 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
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Harvard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto IL 23
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
IL 23
14
Enter roundabout onto IL 23
93 ft
·
1 sec
·
South State Street
15
Continue on IL 23
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
South State Street
16
Enter roundabout onto A49
222 ft
·
3 sec
·
Harmony Road
17
Continue on A49
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harmony Road
18
Turn right onto Riley Road
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Riley Road
19
Arrive at destination
Riley Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 4.4 and 28.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
4
8.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 39; US 51
Merge onto I 39; US 51
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
27.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward IL 23: Marengo, Harvard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36
Toward IL 23: Marengo, Harvard
5
27.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
IL 23 / South State Street
Enter roundabout onto IL 23 / South State Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
28.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
A49 / Harmony Road
Enter roundabout onto A49 / Harmony Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.60 one way
$9.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.05 | $10.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.29
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(18.5 mi)
$1.29
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.57 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Riley, IL
Morning in Riley on Tuesday
Local time
10:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
2 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
41m 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 is mostly surface roads, with only about 2% of the route on highways. You'll experience 18.5 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway before transitioning to surface streets. Expect to encounter typical urban and suburban traffic patterns as you navigate through Rockford on West State Street and Charles Street, with frequent intersections and varying speed limits.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.5 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.4 miles in.
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 29.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 4.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 8.2 miles (I 39; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 27.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Riley, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Harvard along the way.
Harvard
27.3 mi in
|
~36m
About the Cities
Starting in Rockford, IL
Full guide →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.
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 41m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.5 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.29 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 2 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.
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 4.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 8.2 miles (I 39; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 27.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riley, 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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