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Trip from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 42m

Distance

85.8 mi

138 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 35m ★
6 AM
1h 43m
8 AM
1h 58m
10 AM
1h 48m
12 PM
1h 47m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 57m
8 PM
1h 38m

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

Downtown Earlville, IL, IL

Earlville, IL

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL covers 85.8 miles and takes about 1h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Main Street, I 55 South, I 39 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.41 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.

Midpoint

42.9 miles from Bloomington, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .

About the Cities

Starting in Bloomington, IL

Full guide →

Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.

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 1h 42m. Total distance: 85.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 42m drive with frequent turns across 85.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL is easy. At 1h 42m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Main Street
I 55 South
I 39 North
US 34
North 43rd Road
East 9th Road
North 4450th Road
Highway 41

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Earlville, IL.

1

Start on North East Street

138 ft · 6 sec · North East Street
2

Continue on North Main Street

3.8 mi · 9 min · North Main Street
3

Take the ramp slight right toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

0.4 mi · 59 sec · I 55 South: Saint Louis
4

Keep slight right to continue on I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford

0.4 mi · 41 sec · I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
5

Continue straight

71 mi · 1 hr 16 min
6

Take the exit slight right toward US 34: Mendota, Earlville

0.3 mi · 46 sec · US 34: Mendota, Earlville
7

Turn right onto North 43rd Road

4.2 mi · 6 min · North 43rd Road
8

Continue on East 9th Road

0.4 mi · 39 sec · East 9th Road
9

Continue on North 4450th Road

3.8 mi · 5 min · North 4450th Road
10

Turn left onto County Highway 41

0.1 mi · 16 sec · County Highway 41
11

Continue on South Ottawa Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Ottawa Street
12

Turn left onto West Winthrop Street

135 ft · 4 sec · West Winthrop Street
13

Arrive at your 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 42.9 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 51m into the drive.

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 19 miles or 22m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 42.9 miles or 51m 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 27m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Earlville, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Bloomington, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Bloomington, IL

This is one driving day of about 85.8 miles and 1h 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Bloomington, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 42.9 mi from Bloomington, IL · 51m into the drive

Downtown Minonk, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Minonk, IL

43 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

Normal, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Minonk, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 42.9 miles from Bloomington, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Earlville, IL

The final approach into Earlville, 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

$13.41 one way

$26.83 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $14.73 $29.46
premium $4.89 $16.51 $33.02
diesel $5.61 $18.94 $37.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.7 0 $9.01 $4.12
Efficient EV 21.5 0 $7.51 $3.43
EV Truck/SUV 34.3 0 $12.01 $5.49

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (67% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Bloomington, IL

Morning in Bloomington on Saturday

Local time

8:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Earlville, IL

Morning in Earlville on Saturday

Local time

8:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

19 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 42m 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 Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL covers 85.8 miles and takes about 1h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North Main Street, I 55 South, I 39 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 42.9 miles from Bloomington, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.41 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.

The drive from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL is easy. At 1h 42m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Bloomington, IL to Earlville, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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