Origin
Sugar Grove, IL
Late night in Sugar Grove on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sugar Grove, IL to Markham, 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 11m
Distance
54.2 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sugar Grove, IL
Skyler Ewing
Markham, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
Sugar Grove to Markham is 54.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via IL 56 and the Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. Expect a mix of highway driving and surface roads for this relatively short trip. It's a straightforward drive that shouldn't take up too much of your day, making it a good option if you're looking for an efficient way to get from one area to the other.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IL 56 | 24.8 mi | 30m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 21.2 mi | 26m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Kedzie Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 159th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| United States Route 30 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cross Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
IL 56
— 24.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sugar Grove, IL and Markham, IL.
1
Start on this road
76 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
69 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn right onto Cross Street
270 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cross Street
4
Turn left onto US 30; IL 47
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
United States Route 30
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward IL 56 East: Chicago
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto IL 56
25 mi
·
30 min
·
IL 56
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 138
Toward I 294 South, IL 38: Indiana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 294
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
13
Continue on I 294
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 6B-A
Toward US 6: 159th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 6B
Toward US 6 West: 159th Street
16
Turn straight onto US 6
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
West 159th Street
17
Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Kedzie Avenue
18
Turn right onto 163rd Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
163rd Street
19
Arrive at destination
163rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Sugar Grove, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 52.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the exit toward IL 56 East: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward IL 56 East: Chicago
6
25.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
29 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward I 294 South, IL 38: Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 138
Toward I 294 South, IL 38: Indiana
6
29.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
52.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 6: 159th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B-A
Toward US 6: 159th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.47 one way
$16.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.30 | $18.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.43 | $20.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.97 | $23.93 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.50
Tri-state Tollway
(21.2 mi)
$1.28
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(3.7 mi)
$0.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.69 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Markham, IL
Late night in Markham on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
1 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 11m 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 drive is about 46% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on major toll roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 24.8 miles on IL 56 before transitioning to the Tri-State Tollway. Be prepared for a shift in driving environment as you move from surface roads to the tollway, which often means more consistent speeds and potentially denser traffic around exits.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.8 mi on IL 56.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 0.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.4 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 54.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.8 miles on IL 56. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.50 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Markham, 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: at 0.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.4 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Markham, 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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