Origin
Chicago, IL
Morning in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
9:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
12.7 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Elmwood Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL covers 12.7 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Cermak Road, South Halsted Street, South Canalport Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Arriving in Elmwood Park, IL
Full guide →The Northwest Suburbs are in Chicagoland, primarily in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, centered along Metra’s North Central Service, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the city. For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.
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 24m. Total distance: 12.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 24m drive with frequent turns across 12.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Cermak Road 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 Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL is easy. At 24m 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 Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Cermak Road | — | — |
| South Halsted Street | — | — |
| South Canalport Avenue | — | — |
| South Ruble Street | — | — |
| I 90 West | — | — |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | — | — |
| Kennedy Expressway | — | — |
| IL 64 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Cermak Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Elmwood Park, IL.
1
Start on the route
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
the route
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Cermak Road
3
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
South Halsted Street
4
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
5
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Ruble Street
6
Take the ramp straight toward I 90 West, I 94 West
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 90 West, I 94 West
7
Merge slight left onto Dan Ryan Expressway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
8
Continue on Kennedy Expressway
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
9
Take the exit slight right toward IL 64: North Avenue, Ashland Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
IL 64: North Avenue, Ashland Avenue
10
Turn left onto West North Avenue
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West North Avenue
11
Turn slight right onto West Grand Avenue
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
West Grand Avenue
12
Continue on West Grand Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Grand Avenue
13
Turn left onto 73rd Avenue
361 ft
·
12 sec
·
73rd Avenue
14
Turn right onto West Fullerton Avenue
190 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Fullerton Avenue
15
Turn left onto North 73rd Court
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
North 73rd Court
16
Turn left onto West Belden Avenue
161 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Belden Avenue
17
Turn right
187 ft
·
14 sec
18
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.99 one way
$3.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.18 | $4.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.44 | $4.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.80 | $5.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.33 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.81 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Elmwood Park, IL
Morning in Elmwood Park on Saturday
Local time
9:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
20 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
24m 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 Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL covers 12.7 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Cermak Road, South Halsted Street, South Canalport Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.4 miles from Chicago, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.99 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 Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL is easy. At 24m 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 Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chicago, IL to Elmwood Park, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Elmwood Park, IL
More trips to Elmwood Park, IL
Explore more options from Chicago, IL or browse trips ending in Elmwood Park, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.