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Trip from Bloomington, IL to Kirkland, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 24m

Distance

125.2 mi

201 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 15m ★
6 AM
2h 24m
8 AM
2h 44m
10 AM
2h 31m
12 PM
2h 29m
3 PM
2h 32m
5 PM
2h 43m
8 PM
2h 18m

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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village in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States

Kirkland, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Bloomington, IL to Kirkland, IL covers 125.2 miles and takes about 2h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 39, IL 72, North Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 110.6 miles on I 39. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.57 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

62.6 miles from Bloomington, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 12m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 125.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 24m highway drive covering 125.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 39 and IL 72. The longest continuous stretch is about 110.6 miles on I 39.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 39 is the longest continuous segment at about 110.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and IL 72. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 24m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 115.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 5 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
3.9 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the ramp toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
7
4.3 mi into trip | ~10m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 164 Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
6
115.4 mi into trip | ~2h 9m in

Take the exit toward IL 72: Genoa, Byron

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 111 Toward IL 72: Genoa, Byron
4
115.8 mi into trip | ~2h 10m in | IL 72

Turn left onto IL 72

Navigation decision point

4
125.2 mi into trip | ~2h 24m in | South 6th Street

Turn right onto South 6th Street

Navigation decision point

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 Bloomington, IL to Kirkland, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Byron along the way.

Byron

115.4 mi in | ~2h 9m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 39 110.6 mi 1h 58m
IL 72 9.4 mi 13m
North Main Street 3.8 mi 9m
North East Street <0.1 mi <1m
South 6th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 39 — 110.6 mi, about 1h 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on US 51 Business

136 ft · 5 sec · North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on US 51 Business

3.8 mi · 9 min · North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis Use the right lane.
4

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 40 sec
Exit 164 Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
5

Continue on I 39; US 51

111 mi · 1 hr 58 min · I 39; US 51
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec
Exit 111 Toward IL 72: Genoa, Byron
7

Turn left onto IL 72

9.4 mi · 13 min · IL 72
8

Turn right onto South 6th Street

53 ft · 2 sec · South 6th Street
9

Arrive at destination

South 6th Street

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 62.6 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 110.6 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 28 miles or 35m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 62.6 miles or 1h 12m 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 55m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kirkland, 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.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Bloomington, IL

This is one driving day of about 125.2 miles and 2h 24m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Bloomington, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 39 for about 110.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 62.6 mi from Bloomington, IL · 1h 12m into the drive

United States cavalry commander (1839–1876)

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Custer, IL

63 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

El Paso, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Custer, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 62.6 miles from Bloomington, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 39 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 110.6 miles.

Arriving in Kirkland, IL

The final approach into Kirkland, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Kirkland, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.57 one way

$39.15 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $21.49 $42.98
premium $4.89 $24.09 $48.19
diesel $5.61 $27.64 $55.29

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 43.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.6 0 $13.15 $6.01
Efficient EV 31.3 0 $10.96 $5.01
EV Truck/SUV 50.1 0 $17.53 $8.01

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Bloomington, IL

Afternoon in Bloomington on Thursday

Local time

4:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Mostly Sunny

W 13 to 16 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 7:58AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 7:30AM CDT until April 17 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

Kirkland, IL

Afternoon in Kirkland on Thursday

Local time

4:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

52°F

Custer, IL

63 mi in

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

28 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

2h 24m 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 Bloomington, IL to Kirkland, IL covers 125.2 miles and takes about 2h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 39, IL 72, North Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 62.6 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 $19.57 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 is a straightforward 2h 24m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 115.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Bloomington, IL to Kirkland, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Byron along the way.

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