Origin
Danvers, IL
Evening in Danvers on Wednesday
Local time
7:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Danvers, IL to Chicago, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
2h 52m
Distance
139.2 mi
224 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 41m
★
6 AM
2h 52m
8 AM
3h 14m
10 AM
3h 0m
12 PM
2h 58m
3 PM
3h 1m
5 PM
3h 13m
8 PM
2h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Danvers, IL
Mike Tyurin
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Traveling from Danvers to Chicago covers a distance of 139.3 miles, typically taking about 2 hours and 20 minutes of drive time. Because this journey is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a straightforward day trip, eliminating the need for an overnight stay unless your schedule requires one. You should plan on a fuel budget of approximately $21 to complete the one-way trek. Since both the origin and destination are located within the Illinois Midwest, you will stay within the same regional landscape throughout the trip. This route is best suited for those looking to reach the city efficiently without the complexity of a multi-day itinerary.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
69.6 miles from Danvers, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .
Drive Character
This trip is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will find that the highway share is 0%, meaning you should prepare for a more involved experience behind the wheel compared to high-speed turnpike travel. The road requires your full attention as you navigate local stretches, making for a steady, hands-on driving pace. Expect the personality of the route to remain consistent throughout the 139.3-mile distance, as it lacks long, uninterrupted highway segments. Staying alert is key given the nature of these local roads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 is the longest continuous segment at about 123.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and East 1700 North Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.1 miles in.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 139.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.5 miles (I 55; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 136.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
5
9.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 55; US 51
Merge onto I 55; US 51
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
136.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 45m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
136.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
9
136.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 123.2 mi | 2h 19m |
| East 1700 North Road | 5.6 mi | 13m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| I 74 | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Damen Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East North St | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Blue Island Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 123.2 mi, about 2h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Danvers, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on North West Street
303 ft
·
10 sec
·
North West Street
2
Turn right onto CR 18
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East North St
3
Continue on CR 18
5.6 mi
·
13 min
·
East 1700 North Road
4
Continue on CR 18
453 ft
·
14 sec
·
Yuton Road
5
Turn left onto US 150
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Rivian Motorway
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 74 East: Champaign
7
Merge onto I 74
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 74
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 55 North, US 51 North: Chicago
9
Merge onto I 55; US 51
123 mi
·
2 hr 19 min
·
I 55; US 51
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 55
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
440 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Damen Avenue
15
Turn right onto South Blue Island Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Blue Island Avenue
16
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Cermak Road
17
Turn right
152 ft
·
11 sec
18
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since there are no scheduled stops on this 2-hour and 20-minute route, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you depart to keep your $21 travel budget on track. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, as the lack of mandatory stops allows you to choose your own departure time based on local traffic patterns. Keep in mind that because this is a turn-heavy drive, you might prefer leaving during daylight hours to better navigate the local roads. If you find the local driving tiring, remember that you can pull over at your discretion since you are not tied to a rigid interstate schedule. Prioritize a comfortable seating position before leaving Danvers to manage the winding, local nature of the road.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69.6 miles from Danvers, IL, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 123.2 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 31 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 69.6 miles or 1h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chicago, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Danvers, 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 Danvers, IL
This is one driving day of about 139.2 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Danvers, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 123.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 69.6 mi from Danvers, IL · 1h 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
70 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 69.6 miles from Danvers, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 123.2 miles.
Arriving in Chicago, IL
The final approach into Chicago, 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 Chicago, 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
$21.76 one way
$43.52 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
49 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $23.89 | $47.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $26.79 | $53.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $30.73 | $61.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 41.8 | 0 | $14.62 | $6.68 |
| Efficient EV | 34.8 | 0 | $12.18 | $5.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 55.7 | 0 | $19.49 | $8.91 |
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Destination
Chicago, IL
Evening in Chicago on Wednesday
Local time
7:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
W 10 mph
75% chance
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
16 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 52m 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 Danvers, IL to Chicago, IL covers 139.2 miles and takes about 2h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55, East 1700 North Road, Stevenson Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 69.6 miles from Danvers, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.76 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 139.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.5 miles (I 55; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 136.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Danvers, IL to Chicago, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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