Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Night in Des Plaines on Thursday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Uptown, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
27m
Distance
14.4 mi
23 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 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Uptown, IL
Quang Vuong
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Uptown, IL covers 14.4 miles and takes about 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Caldwell Avenue, West Touhy Avenue, West Peterson Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.5 miles on North Caldwell Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.25 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 14.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 27m drive with frequent turns across 14.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Caldwell Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 2.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 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
5/10
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 14.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.8 miles (Busse Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (North Western Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Busse Highway
Turn right onto Busse Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
12.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
North Western Avenue
Turn right onto North Western Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
12.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
West Lawrence Avenue
Turn left onto West Lawrence Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
14.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
West Eastwood Avenue
Turn left onto West Eastwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| West Peterson Avenue | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Lincoln Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| West Lawrence Avenue | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Caldwell Avenue
— 2.5 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Uptown, 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
Continue on North Caldwell Avenue
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
North Caldwell Avenue
8
Continue on US 14
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Peterson Avenue
9
Turn slight right onto US 41
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
North Lincoln Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto North Western Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Western Avenue
11
Turn left onto West Lawrence Avenue
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
West Lawrence Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto North Sheridan Road
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Sheridan Road
13
Turn left onto West Eastwood Avenue
509 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Eastwood Avenue
14
Turn slight right
181 ft
·
13 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.25 one way
$4.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.47 | $4.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.77 | $5.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.18 | $6.36 |
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 $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| Efficient EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
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.
Destination
Uptown, IL
Night in Uptown on Thursday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
22 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
27m 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 Uptown, IL covers 14.4 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Caldwell Avenue, West Touhy Avenue, West Peterson Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.2 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 $2.25 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 14.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.8 miles (Busse Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (North Western Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Uptown, 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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