The drive from Springfield, IL to Manteno, IL covers 168 miles and takes about 3h 7m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 57, I 72, Kinzie Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 80.2 miles on I 57.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.05 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
84 miles from Springfield, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
80.2 mi
1h 25m
I 72
78.4 mi
1h 24m
Kinzie Avenue
5.1 mi
7m
Clear Lake Avenue
2.5 mi
4m
South Locust Street
0.6 mi
1m
East Washington Street
0.2 mi
<1m
North 12th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East 2nd Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 80.2 mi, about 1h 25m
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 Manteno, 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
80 mi·1 hr 25 min·I 57
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Exit 315Toward IL 50: Bradley, Bourbonnais
9
Keep slight right at fork
203 ft·5 sec
Exit 315Toward IL 50: Bradley, Bourbonnais
10
Turn straight onto IL 50
5.1 mi·7 min·Kinzie Avenue
11
Continue on IL 50
0.6 mi·1 min·South Locust Street
12
Turn right onto East 2nd Street
103 ft·4 sec·East 2nd Street
13
Arrive at destination
East 2nd Street
Trip Plan
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 84 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 1h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.2 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 37 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84 miles or 1h 33m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manteno, 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 168 miles and 3h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 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 57 for about 80.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 84 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 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.2 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 162.2 — 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
161.8 mi into trip|~2h 57m in
Take the exit toward IL 50: Bradley, Bourbonnais
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 315
Toward IL 50: Bradley, Bourbonnais
7
162.2 mi into trip|~2h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 50: Bradley, Bourbonnais
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 315
Toward IL 50: Bradley, Bourbonnais
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.05 one way
$52.09 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$28.56
$57.12
premium
$4.93
$32.59
$65.19
diesel
$5.60
$37.03
$74.07
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.4
0
$17.64
$8.06
Efficient EV
42
0
$14.70
$6.72
EV Truck/SUV
67.2
0
$23.52
$10.75
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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 Aug 29, 2026
Origin
Springfield, IL
Night
in Springfield on Friday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
ESE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 28 at 9:43AM CDT until August 30 at 4:36AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 28 at 9:43AM CDT until August 30 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Destination
Manteno, IL
Night
in Manteno on Friday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Clear
SW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 28 at 9:43AM CDT until August 30 at 4:36AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 28 at 9:43AM CDT until August 30 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis 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
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
3h 7m 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?
168 mi in 3h 7m, mostly highway — 80.2 mi of that is on I 57.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.2 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and I 72. 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 3h 7m 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 80.2 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Manteno, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
