Origin
Aurora, IL
Evening in Aurora on Thursday
Local time
6:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to Portage Park, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h
Distance
39.6 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Portage Park, IL
Willian Justen de Vasconcellos
Trip Overview
The drive from Aurora, IL to Portage Park, IL covers 39.6 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, South 25th Avenue, West Forest Preserve Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 39.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h drive with frequent turns across 39.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / North Lake Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
6
20.9 mi into trip
|
~28m 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.
7
29 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward North 25th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 18B
Toward North 25th Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Portage Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Dekalb-Iowa
2.6 mi in
|
~4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 23.8 mi | 29m |
| South 25th Avenue | 4.6 mi | 8m |
| West Forest Preserve Drive | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| West Montrose Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West Belmont Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 23.8 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Portage Park, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn left onto IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Lincolnway Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
4
Take the ramp
387 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
this road
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
18 mi
·
22 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 18B
Toward North 25th Avenue
Use the right lane.
11
Turn straight onto South 25th Avenue
4.6 mi
·
8 min
·
South 25th Avenue
12
Turn right onto West Belmont Avenue
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Belmont Avenue
13
Turn left onto West Forest Preserve Drive
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
West Forest Preserve Drive
Use the left lane.
14
Turn slight right onto West Montrose Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West Montrose Avenue
15
Turn right onto North Linder Avenue
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Linder Avenue
16
Turn right onto West Hutchinson Street
99 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Hutchinson Street
17
Arrive at destination
West Hutchinson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.8 mi from Aurora, IL · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Portage Park, IL
The final approach into Portage Park, 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
$6.19 one way
$12.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.80 | $13.59 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.62 | $15.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.74 | $17.49 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(23.8 mi)
$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Portage Park, IL
Evening in Portage Park on Thursday
Local time
6:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Elmhurst, IL
20 mi in
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
1h 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Aurora, IL to Portage Park, IL covers 39.6 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, South 25th Avenue, West Forest Preserve Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.8 miles from Aurora, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.19 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 39.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Portage Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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