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Trip from University Park, IL to Niles, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

55m

Distance

36.9 mi

59 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 51m ★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown University Park, IL, IL

University Park, IL

Quang Vuong

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Niles, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

University Park, IL to Niles, IL is 36.9 miles and takes about 55m via Kennedy Expressway and I-57, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, so expect a familiar landscape. The route is primarily highway driving, making it a straightforward and efficient connection between these two points. It's a short enough drive that you can easily complete it in one day, perfect for a quick trip or a segment of a larger journey.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Kennedy Expressway 8.2 mi 11m
I 57 8 mi 10m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 7.9 mi 11m
Dan Ryan Expressway 3.3 mi 4m
North Caldwell Avenue 3 mi 4m
Edens Expressway 2.2 mi 2m
West Howard Street 0.6 mi 1m
Tri-State Tollway 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Kennedy Expressway — 8.2 mi, about 11m

Traffic on I-94

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 3 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

7 AM

~8,925 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~1,444 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.2×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 49 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 University Park, IL and Niles, IL.

1

Start on Lancaster Drive

130 ft · 11 sec · Lancaster Drive
2

Turn left onto California Avenue

0.1 mi · 25 sec · California Avenue
3

Continue on Sussex Avenue

0.2 mi · 56 sec · Sussex Avenue
4

Turn right onto Richmond Avenue

279 ft · 12 sec · Richmond Avenue
5

Continue on Richmond Avenue

0.2 mi · 1 min · Richmond Avenue
6

Turn right onto US 6

0.4 mi · 49 sec · West 159th Street
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 52 sec
9

Merge onto I 294

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Tri-State Tollway
10

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 7 Toward I 57 North: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 57 North: Chicago Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 57

8.0 mi · 10 min · I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 94

3.3 mi · 4 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

7.9 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.2 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 94

2.2 mi · 2 min · Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 41A Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn slight right onto US 14

3.0 mi · 4 min · North Caldwell Avenue
19

Turn left onto West Howard Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Howard Street
Use the left lane.
20

Turn left onto North Waukegan Road

14 ft · 0 sec · North Waukegan Road
21

Arrive at destination

North Waukegan Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown chicago-il

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

18 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

Park Ridge, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chicago, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from University Park, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 36.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
2.2 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the exit toward I 57 North: Chicago

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 7 Toward I 57 North: Chicago
7
2.8 mi into trip | ~6m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 57 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 57 North: Chicago
8
14.8 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
7
33 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 41A Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
6
36.3 mi into trip | ~54m in | West Howard Street

Turn left onto West Howard Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.63 one way

$11.26 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.27 $6.20 $12.40
premium $4.81 $6.98 $13.96
diesel $5.40 $7.85 $15.70

Estimated Tolls: $0.03

Tri-state Tollway (0.5 mi) $0.03

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$0

Total

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.1 0 $3.87 $1.77
Efficient EV 9.2 0 $3.23 $1.48
EV Truck/SUV 14.8 0 $5.17 $2.36

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 Apr 26, 2026

Origin

University Park, IL

Night in University Park on Saturday

Local time

9:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog

ENE 5 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Destination

Niles, IL

Night in Niles on Saturday

Local time

9:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Mostly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog

NE 5 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

55m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is largely on highways, with 80% of the 36.9 miles taking place on major expressways like the Kennedy Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway. You'll experience an 8.2-mile stretch on the Kennedy Expressway, which is the longest continuous highway segment. Expect to encounter frequent exits and merges as you navigate through urban and suburban environments. The route transitions from highway to surface roads as you approach your destination.

80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on Kennedy Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Kennedy Expressway and I 57. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 36.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

About the Cities

Starting in University Park, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1967

Arriving in Niles, IL

Full guide →

Niles is a city of 30,912 (2020) in Illinois.

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 55m. Total distance: 36.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on Kennedy Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.03 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.

Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Niles, 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 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. 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 Niles, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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