Origin
Alden, IL
Night in Alden on Wednesday
Local time
10:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alden, IL to Evanston, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
63.3 mi
102 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 24m
★
6 AM
1h 31m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 34m
3 PM
1h 36m
5 PM
1h 44m
8 PM
1h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alden, IL
Mike Tyurin
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Alden, IL to Evanston, IL covers 63.3 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 12, IL 173, IL 60 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.6 miles on US 12. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.90 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
31.6 miles from Alden, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 42m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 1h 30m highway drive covering 63.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 12 and IL 173. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.6 miles on US 12.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 12 is the longest continuous segment at about 13.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 12 and IL 173. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.2 miles in near US 12 / North Main Street.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 11.2 miles (US 12 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 47.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
11.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 12 / North Main Street
Turn right onto US 12 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
47.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
I 94 / Edens Spur
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
7
58 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward Old Orchard Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward Old Orchard Road
6
63.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 30m in
|
Dempster Street
Turn left onto Dempster Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
63.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 30m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 12 | 13.6 mi | 16m |
| IL 173 | 11.2 mi | 15m |
| IL 60 | 10.6 mi | 17m |
| Edens Expressway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Edens Spur | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| US 45 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| North Main Street | 2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
US 12
— 13.6 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alden, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on V12
11 ft
·
3 sec
·
Alden Road
2
Turn right onto IL 173
11 mi
·
15 min
·
IL 173
3
Turn right onto US 12
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 12
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 12
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on US 12; IL 59
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 12; IL 59
7
Turn left onto IL 120
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Belvidere Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto IL 60
11 mi
·
17 min
·
IL 60
9
Continue on US 45
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
US 45
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on Olde Half Day Road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Olde Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
11
At end of road, turn left onto IL 22
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana
13
Merge onto I 94
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Edens Spur
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
15
Continue on I 94; US 41
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 35
Toward Old Orchard Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto Old Orchard Road
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Orchard Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Gross Point Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Gross Point Road
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto Central Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto Green Bay Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Bay Road
21
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
22
Turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
Use the left lane.
23
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
24
Arrive at destination
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 31.6 miles from Alden, IL, or about 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.6 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 14 miles or 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 31.6 miles or 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Evanston, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alden, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Alden, IL
This is one driving day of about 63.3 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Alden, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 12 for about 13.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.6 mi from Alden, IL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.6 miles from Alden, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Evanston, IL
The final approach into Evanston, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.90 one way
$19.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.87 | $21.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.18 | $24.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.98 | $27.95 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.18
Tri-state Tollway
(2.9 mi)
$0.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.3 | 0 | $8.86 | $4.05 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Evanston, IL
Night in Evanston on Wednesday
Local time
10:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 15 mph
42% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 2:33PM CDT until April 13 at 3:30PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 2:30PM CDT until April 13 at 2:45PM 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
11 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 30m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Alden, IL to Evanston, IL covers 63.3 miles and takes about 1h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 12, IL 173, IL 60. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.6 miles from Alden, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.90 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63.3 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 11.2 miles (US 12 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 47.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Alden, IL to Evanston, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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