The drive from Springfield, IL to Bradley, IL covers 159.3 miles and takes about 2h 59m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 72, I 57, South Schuyler Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 78.4 miles on I 72.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
79.6 miles from Springfield, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 28m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 72
78.4 mi
1h 24m
I 57
72.6 mi
1h 17m
South Schuyler Avenue
4.6 mi
8m
Clear Lake Avenue
2.5 mi
4m
East Washington Street
0.2 mi
<1m
North 12th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East Broadway Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 72
— 78.4 mi, about 1h 24m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~928 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,278
Quietest
2 AM
~107 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Springfield, IL and Bradley, 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
2.5 mi·4 min·Clear Lake Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on I 72; US 36
36 mi·39 min·I 72; US 36
5
Continue on I 72; US 51
42 mi·45 min·I 72; US 51
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 182BToward I 57 North: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 57
73 mi·1 hr 17 min·I 57
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·53 sec
Exit 308Toward US 45, US 52: Kankakee
9
Keep slight right at fork
272 ft·9 sec
Exit 308
10
Turn straight onto US 45; US 52
4.6 mi·8 min·South Schuyler Avenue
11
Turn left onto East Broadway Street
362 ft·7 sec·East Broadway Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Broadway Street
Trip Plan
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 79.6 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.4 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 35 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 79.6 miles or 1h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bradley, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Springfield, 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 Springfield, IL
This is one driving day of about 159.3 miles and 2h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Springfield, 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 72 for about 78.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 79.6 miles from Springfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 72 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 78.4 miles.
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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 154.5 — 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
5
81.3 mi into trip|~1h 30m in
Take the exit toward I 57 North: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 182B
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
6
154.2 mi into trip|~2h 49m in
Take the exit toward US 45, US 52: Kankakee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 308
Toward US 45, US 52: Kankakee
6
154.5 mi into trip|~2h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 308
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.70 one way
$49.40 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg56 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$27.08
$54.16
premium
$4.93
$30.91
$61.81
diesel
$5.60
$35.11
$70.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.8
0
$16.73
$7.65
Efficient EV
39.8
0
$13.94
$6.37
EV Truck/SUV
63.7
0
$22.30
$10.20
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (66% 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 Sep 2, 2026
Origin
Springfield, IL
Afternoon
in Springfield on Friday
Local time
2:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Clear
S 3 to 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Bradley, IL
Afternoon
in Bradley on Friday
Local time
2:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
SSW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
5 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
2h 59m 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.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
159.3 mi in 2h 59m, mostly highway — 78.4 mi of that is on I 72.
95% 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: 78.4 mi on I 72.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and I 57. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Washington Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 59m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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 81.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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
The longest stretch is about 78.4 miles on I 72. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 81.3 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 Bradley, IL before heading back.
