Origin
Rolling Meadows, IL
Late night in Rolling Meadows on Tuesday
Local time
5:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rolling Meadows, IL to Evanston, 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
35m
Distance
18.6 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rolling Meadows, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 18.6-mile drive from Rolling Meadows to Evanston, Illinois, is a quick 35-minute trip perfect for a single day. You'll navigate using local roads like East Golf Road, West Central Road, and West Northwest Highway, with no significant highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $3, reflecting the short distance. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, offering a straightforward journey within the Midwest region. It's a simple, direct route designed for efficiency rather than extensive sightseeing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Golf Road | 10.4 mi | 18m |
| West Central Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| West Northwest Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| West Kirchhoff Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Emerson Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Asbury Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Wilke Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Campbell Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
East Golf Road
— 10.4 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rolling Meadows, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on Bluebird Lane
253 ft
·
16 sec
·
Bluebird Lane
2
Turn left onto Campbell Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Campbell Street
3
Turn right onto South Wilke Road
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
South Wilke Road
4
Continue on New Wilke Road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
New Wilke Road
5
Turn slight left onto West Kirchhoff Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Kirchhoff Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn straight onto West Central Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Central Road
7
Turn slight right onto US 14
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Northwest Highway
8
Turn left onto State Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
State Street
Use the left lane.
9
Enter roundabout onto IL 58
160 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Golf Road
10
Continue on IL 58
10 mi
·
18 min
·
East Golf Road
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on Emerson Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Emerson Street
12
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
13
Turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.6 — 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
|
Campbell Street
Turn left onto Campbell Street
Navigation decision point
5
6.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
State Street
Turn left onto State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
6.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
IL 58 / East Golf Road
Enter roundabout onto IL 58 / East Golf Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Dempster Street
Turn left onto Dempster Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.91 one way
$5.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.19 | $6.39 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.58 | $7.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.11 | $8.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Evanston, IL
Late night in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
5:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
3 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
35m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 18.6-mile journey. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating primarily through suburban and town settings. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.4 miles on East Golf Road, offering a brief period of consistent travel before more turns come into play. This route is characterized by frequent changes in direction, requiring your attention as you move from one local road to another, rather than long, open stretches.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.4 mi on East Golf Road.
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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Campbell 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 18.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Campbell Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.1 miles (State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (IL 58 / East Golf Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
About the Cities
Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 35m. Total distance: 18.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.4 miles on East Golf Road. 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 (Campbell Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.1 miles (State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (IL 58 / East Golf Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Evanston, 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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