Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Night in Des Plaines on Thursday
Local time
9:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Gage Park, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
43m
Distance
26.2 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Gage Park, IL
Chris F
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Gage Park, IL covers 26.2 miles and takes about 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kennedy Expressway, North Caldwell Avenue, West Touhy Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.1 miles on Kennedy Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 26.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Gage Park, IL covers 26.2 miles and takes about 43m, 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 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kennedy Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.1 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 0.8 miles in near East Oakton Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 26.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Oakton Street
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East
8
19.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 55: Saint Louis, DuSable Lake Shore Drive
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 53
Toward I 55: Saint Louis, DuSable Lake Shore Dr...
8
20.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: St Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 53B
Toward I 55 South: St Louis
7
21.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| South Western Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 8.1 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Gage Park, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Oakton Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Busse Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Busse Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn straight onto West Touhy Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
6
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 94
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Continue on I 90; I 94
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 53
Toward I 55: Saint Louis, DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 53B
Toward I 55 South: St Louis
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 55
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
468 ft
·
13 sec
16
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Damen Avenue
17
Turn right onto South Archer Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Archer Avenue
18
Turn left onto South Western Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto West 55th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 55th Street
20
Turn right onto South Francisco Avenue
497 ft
·
21 sec
·
South Francisco Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
South Francisco Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.10 one way
$8.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.50 | $8.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.04 | $10.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.78 | $11.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.29 | $1.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Gage Park, IL
Night in Gage Park on Thursday
Local time
9:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°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
3 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
43m 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 Des Plaines, IL to Gage Park, IL covers 26.2 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kennedy Expressway, North Caldwell Avenue, West Touhy Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.1 miles from Des Plaines, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.10 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 short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 26.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Gage Park, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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