Rail Splitter Rest Area - Southbound
0 mi from route
Trip from Rockford, IL to Valmeyer, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 58m
Distance
319.9 mi
515 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 45m
★
6 AM
5h 58m
8 AM
6h 24m
10 AM
6h 8m
12 PM
6h 5m
3 PM
6h 9m
5 PM
6h 23m
8 PM
5h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Valmeyer, IL
Magda Ehlers
Trip Overview
Rockford to Valmeyer is 319.9 miles and takes about 5h 58m via I-55, I-39, and I-255, with a fuel budget near $57 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a predominantly highway trip, making it a straightforward drive for a single day. You'll likely find it a practical option for getting between these two points without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
159.9 miles from Rockford, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 56m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 146.8 mi | 2h 38m |
| I 39 | 118.2 mi | 2h 6m |
| I 255 | 17.2 mi | 19m |
| IL 3 | 12.3 mi | 15m |
| US 51 | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| IL 156 | 6.4 mi | 11m |
| U.S. Grant Memorial Highway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 3.6 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 146.8 mi, about 2h 38m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,843 veh/hr typical · worst 2,269
Quietest
2 AM
~164 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Valmeyer, IL.
1
Start on West State Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
West State Street
2
Turn left onto IL 2
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
South Church Street
3
Turn left onto IL 2
275 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cedar Street
4
Turn right onto IL 2
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
South Main Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
6
Merge onto US 20
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto I 39; US 51
118 mi
·
2 hr 6 min
·
I 39; US 51
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 51
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
US 51
Toward I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
65 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55
82 mi
·
1 hr 28 min
·
I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 10
Toward I 255: Memphis, Interstate 270
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 255 South: Memphis
14
Merge onto I 255
17 mi
·
19 min
·
I 255
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto IL 3
12 mi
·
15 min
·
IL 3
Exit 6
Toward IL 3 South: Columbia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto IL 156
361 ft
·
7 sec
·
Park Street
17
Enter roundabout onto IL 156
123 ft
·
2 sec
·
Park Street
18
Continue on IL 156
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Park Street
19
Continue on IL 156
6.4 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 156
20
Arrive at destination
IL 156
Trip Plan
For this 5h 58m drive, leaving in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight. While it's a single-day trip, consider a brief stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 146.8-mile stretch on I-55, as services can be spread out on interstates. The $57 fuel cost is an estimate, so check current prices before you go. Since you'll be on highways for most of the way, you can easily adjust your timing if needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159.9 miles from Rockford, IL, or about 2h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 146.8 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 70 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 159.9 miles or 2h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Valmeyer, 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.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Rockford, IL
This is one driving day of about 319.9 miles and 5h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Rockford, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 146.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
160 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 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 159.9 miles from Rockford, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 146.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Homestead Rest Area - Southbound
0 mi from route
Rail Splitter Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Dixie Trucker's Home
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Willow Creek Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Coalfield Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Funks Grove Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Homestead Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.3 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.3 mi from route
Willow Creek Rest Area - Southbound
0.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.4 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.5 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.6 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.6 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.6 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.7 mi from route
Rest Area
1.7 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
2.3 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 127.6 and 300.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
127.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 21m in
|
US 51
Keep slight right at fork onto US 51 toward I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champai...
8
135.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 29m in
|
I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
7
200 mi into trip
|
~3h 39m in
|
I 55
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
6
282 mi into trip
|
~5h 8m in
Take the exit toward I 255: Memphis, Interstate 270
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 10
Toward I 255: Memphis, Interstate 270
7
300.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 30m in
|
IL 3
Take the exit onto IL 3 toward IL 3 South: Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward IL 3 South: Columbia
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.24 one way
$94.48 round trip
$3.75/gal
25.4 MPG avg
112 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $52.15 | $104.31 |
| premium | $4.72 | $59.40 | $118.79 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $60.40 | $120.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 96 | 1 | $33.59 | $15.36 |
| Efficient EV | 80 | 0 | $27.99 | $12.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 128 | 1 | $44.79 | $20.47 |
Gas CO2
112 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Rockford, IL
Late night in Rockford on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
92°F
Areas Of Smoke
SW 5 to 10 mph
38% chance
Live forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 11:01AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 11:01AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Destination
Valmeyer, IL
Late night in Valmeyer on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 6 mph
35% chance
Live forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 11:01AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 11:01AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
87°F
Athens, IL
160 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
2 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
5h 58m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 198.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on highways for about 96% of this 319.9-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 146.8 miles on I-55. Expect a consistent cruising experience for the majority of the drive. The transition from highway to surface roads will be minimal, occurring only in the final few miles.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 146.8 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 39. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 127.6 miles in near US 51.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 319.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 127.6 miles (US 51): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 135.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 200 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
916 ft
409 ft
Total Climb
689 ft
Total Descent
673 ft
Highest Point
916 ft
~45.7 mi in
Elevation Range
507 ft
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.
Between Rockford, IL and Valmeyer, IL, road signs point toward Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur and Springfield.
Champaign
127.6 mi in
|
~2h 21m
|
via US 51
Saint Louis
127.6 mi in
|
~2h 21m
|
via US 51
Decatur
127.6 mi in
|
~2h 21m
|
via US 51
Springfield
135.2 mi in
|
~2h 29m
|
via I 55
About the Cities
Starting in Rockford, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
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.
Top landmarks
- • Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent House — Usonian house
- • Herrick Cobblestone — house in Rockford, Illinois, USA
- • Haight Village Historic District — park in the United States of America
Arriving in Valmeyer, IL
Full guide →Founded 1909
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 5h 58m. Total distance: 319.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 146.8 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 35 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 Valmeyer, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 35 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 127.6 miles (US 51): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 135.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 200 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 11.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Valmeyer, IL before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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