Origin
Aurora, IL
Evening in Aurora on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to University Park, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
56 mi
90 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
University Park, IL
Quang Vuong
Trip Overview
The drive from Aurora, IL to University Park, IL covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Tollway, I 80, 75th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.1 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 56 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Aurora, IL to University Park, IL covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 21m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Veterans Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.5 miles in near East New York Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.5 miles (East New York Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (IL 59 / Illinois Route 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 16 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East New York Street
Turn right onto East New York Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
IL 59 / Illinois Route 59
Turn right onto IL 59 / Illinois Route 59
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
16 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
6
31.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 0A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
8
50.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward Stuenkel Road, University Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 337
Toward Stuenkel Road, University Parkway
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 15.1 mi | 16m |
| I 80 | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| 75th Street | 8.8 mi | 15m |
| I 57 | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| East New York Street | 5.6 mi | 10m |
| University Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| West Stuenkel Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Stuenkel Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 15.1 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and University Park, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn left onto IL 25
458 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Broadway
3
Turn right onto East New York Street
5.6 mi
·
10 min
·
East New York Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto IL 59
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto 75th Street
8.8 mi
·
15 min
·
75th Street
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 355
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Exit 0A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
9
Merge onto I 80
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 151A
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
11
Merge onto I 57
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 337
Toward Stuenkel Road, University Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto West Stuenkel Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Stuenkel Road
14
Continue on Stuenkel Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Stuenkel Road
15
Turn right onto University Parkway
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
University Parkway
16
Turn right onto Burnham Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Burnham Drive
17
Turn left onto Sandra Drive
244 ft
·
15 sec
·
Sandra Drive
18
Turn left
203 ft
·
14 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28 mi from Aurora, IL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 28 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in University Park, IL
The final approach into University 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
$8.75 one way
$17.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.61 | $19.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.78 | $21.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.36 | $24.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.06
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(15.1 mi)
$1.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.84 | $3.58 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
University Park, IL
Evening in University Park on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Woodridge, IL
28 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
25 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 21m 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 University Park, IL covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial Tollway, I 80, 75th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28 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 $8.75 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 56 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.5 miles (East New York Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (IL 59 / Illinois Route 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 16 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Aurora, IL to University Park, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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