Origin
Elgin, IL
Afternoon in Elgin on Friday
Local time
1:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to Knollwood, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
41.8 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Knollwood, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to Knollwood, IL covers 41.8 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, Palatine Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.7 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.53 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 41.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 57m drive with frequent turns across 41.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 20 decision points packed into just 41.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 14.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
13.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 68A-B
Toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
6
13.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
8
14.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
8
26.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Turn sharp left toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
7
39.3 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward IL 176: Rockland Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 16
Toward IL 176: Rockland Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elgin, IL and Knollwood, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Suburbs.
Chicago
2.2 mi in
|
~4m
Suburbs
13.4 mi in
|
~17m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 12.7 mi | 14m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 10.7 mi | 11m |
| Palatine Road | 6 mi | 8m |
| I 290 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Dundee Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Rockland Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Willow Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Waukegan Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 12.7 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Knollwood, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
34 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn left onto Center Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Center Street
3
Continue on Dundee Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Dundee Avenue
4
Turn right onto IL 25
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Page Avenue
5
Turn straight onto IL 25
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Liberty Street
6
Continue on IL 25
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Dundee Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 90 Toll West, I 90 Toll East: Rockford, Chicago
8
Continue on this road
486 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
Toward I 90 West, I 90 East: Rockford, Chicago
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 90 Toll East: Chicago
10
Merge onto I 90
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 68A-B
Toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
13
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
this road
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the right lane.
15
Merge onto I 290; IL 53
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 290; IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward East Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto Palatine Road
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on Willow Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Willow Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn sharp left
383 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
Use the left lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
21
Merge onto I 294
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 16
Toward IL 176: Rockland Road
Use the right lane.
23
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 176
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockland Road
Use the left lane.
24
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
North Waukegan Road
25
Turn left onto Plaister Avenue
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Plaister Avenue
26
Arrive at destination
3 ft
·
0 sec
·
Plaister Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.9 mi from Elgin, IL · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Elgin, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Knollwood, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Knollwood, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.53 one way
$13.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.18 | $14.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.04 | $16.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.23 | $18.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.51
Tri-state Tollway
(12.7 mi)
$0.76
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(10.7 mi)
$0.75
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $2.68 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Knollwood, IL
Afternoon in Knollwood on Friday
Local time
1:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
17 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
57m 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 Elgin, IL to Knollwood, IL covers 41.8 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, Palatine Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.9 miles from Elgin, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.53 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 20 decision points packed into just 41.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 14.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Elgin, IL and Knollwood, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Suburbs.
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.
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