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Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Logan Square, IL

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

24m

Distance

14.2 mi

23 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 22m ★
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.

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Des Plaines, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Logan Square, IL, IL

Logan Square, IL

Castorly Stock

Trip Overview

The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Logan Square, IL covers 14.2 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 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 2.9 miles on Kennedy Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.22 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 14.2 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 (35%). 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 Logan Square, IL covers 14.2 miles and takes about 24m, 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 16 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 2.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near East Oakton Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 14.2 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

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 8.3 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These 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
5
8.3 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 94 / Edens Expressway

Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.3 mi into trip | ~21m in

Take the exit toward California Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 46A Toward California Avenue
6
14.1 mi into trip | ~23m in | North Milwaukee Avenue

Turn sharp left onto North Milwaukee Avenue

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Kennedy Expressway 2.9 mi 3m
North Caldwell Avenue 2.4 mi 3m
West Touhy Avenue 2.3 mi 4m
Edens Expressway 2.1 mi 2m
Busse Highway 1.5 mi 2m
East Oakton Street 1.1 mi 2m
South Des Plaines River Road 0.7 mi 1m
North California Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Kennedy Expressway — 2.9 mi, about 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Logan Square, 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

2.9 mi · 3 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 20 sec
Exit 46A Toward California Avenue Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn right onto North California Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · North California Avenue
Use the right lane.
12

Turn right onto West Fullerton Avenue

0.2 mi · 25 sec · West Fullerton Avenue
13

Turn sharp left onto North Milwaukee Avenue

511 ft · 25 sec · North Milwaukee Avenue
14

Turn right onto West Medill Avenue

76 ft · 5 sec · West Medill Avenue
15

Turn left

168 ft · 12 sec
16

Arrive at destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.22 one way

$4.44 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.44 $4.87
premium $4.89 $2.73 $5.47
diesel $5.61 $3.14 $6.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.3 0 $1.49 $0.68
Efficient EV 3.6 0 $1.24 $0.57
EV Truck/SUV 5.7 0 $1.99 $0.91

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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

Des Plaines, IL

Night in Des Plaines on Thursday

Local time

11:06 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Logan Square, IL

Night in Logan Square on Thursday

Local time

11:06 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°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

25 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 Des Plaines, IL to Logan Square, IL covers 14.2 miles and takes about 24m 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 7.1 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 $2.22 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 14.2 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 8.3 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Logan Square, 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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