Origin
Springfield, IL
Late night in Springfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Springfield, IL to Bloomington, 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
1h 18m
Distance
66.1 mi
106 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Springfield, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Springfield and Bloomington, this 66.1-mile journey is a straightforward Midwestern transit across Illinois. You can easily complete the drive in about 1 hour and 18 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Expect a modest fuel budget of roughly $10 for the one-way trek. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, the landscape remains consistent throughout your transit. Whether you are heading north for business or just crossing the state for a change of scenery, this route offers a reliable, no-nonsense connection between two major regional hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 58.5 mi | 1h 2m |
| South Veterans Parkway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Clear Lake Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| South East Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North 12th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North East Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 58.5 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Bloomington, IL.
1
Start on East Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left onto North 12th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 12th Street
3
Turn straight onto IL 97
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Clear Lake Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
5
Merge onto I 55
29 mi
·
31 min
·
I 55
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
29 mi
·
31 min
·
I 55
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 Business
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Veterans Parkway
Exit 157A; 157B
Toward I 55 Business North, I 74 East: Indianapolis
8
Continue on I 55 Business
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Veterans Parkway
Exit 157B
Toward I 55 Business North
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward US 51 Business
10
Turn left onto US 51 Business
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 51 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South East Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
US 51 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33 miles from Springfield, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 61.5 — 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
|
East Washington Street
Depart onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 12th Street
Turn left onto North 12th Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 55 North: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
7
32.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
7
61.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
I 55 Business / South Veterans Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 Business / South Veterans Parkway toward I 55 Business North, I 74 East: Indianapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 157A; 157B
Toward I 55 Business North, I 74 East: Indianap...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.33 one way
$20.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.35 | $22.69 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.72 | $25.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.59 | $29.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.94 | $3.17 |
| Efficient EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.78 | $2.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.4 | 0 | $9.25 | $4.23 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Bloomington, IL
Late night in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
4:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Atlanta, IL
33 mi in
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
1h 18m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 92% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time—specifically 58.5 miles—cruising along the I-55 corridor. Once you transition from the local access of Clear Lake Avenue and South Veterans Parkway, the drive settles into a predictable, fast-paced interstate grind. Expect a steady, high-speed experience that lacks the complexity of winding backroads or technical turns. It is a functional, efficient path designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal interruption.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.5 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and South Veterans Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Washington Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (North 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Starting in Springfield, IL
Full guide →Founded 1840
Springfield is a city in the center of the state of Illinois. It is the state's capital — not Chicago — and the county seat of Sangamon County. Springfield is best known for its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln, and there are several historic sites that are dedicated to him.
Top landmarks
- • Illinois State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois
- • Lincoln Tomb — tomb of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, United States
- • Lincoln Home National Historic Site — national historic site in Illinois, USA
Arriving in Bloomington, IL
Full guide →Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.
Top landmarks
- • David Davis Mansion — house museum in Bloomington, Illinois
- • Bloomington Central Business District — historic and central business district in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois,...
- • George H. Miller House — Bloomington, Illinois, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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 1h 18m. Total distance: 66.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.5 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Bloomington, 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: near the start (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (North 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. 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 Bloomington, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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