Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
50.4 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Loves Park, IL
Vera Arsic
The drive from Elgin, IL to Loves Park, IL covers 50.4 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, East Riverside Boulevard, North State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41.8 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.88 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 50.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 1h 1m drive with frequent turns across 50.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Center Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 1m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Highland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 31 / North State Street): Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Center Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto IL 31 / North State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 90 Toll West: Wisconsin
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 41.8 mi | 44m |
| East Riverside Boulevard | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| North State Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| East Highland Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Center Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Chicago Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Loves Park, IL.
Start on East Chicago Street
Turn left onto Center Street
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
Turn right onto IL 31
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Turn left onto East Riverside Boulevard
Turn right onto IL 251
Continue on IL 251
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.2 mi from Elgin, IL · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25.2 miles from Elgin, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Loves Park, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$7.88 one way
$15.76 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.65 | $17.30 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.70 | $19.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.13 | $22.26 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.93
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$3
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.06 | $3.23 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Elgin on Friday
Local time
7:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Loves Park on Friday
Local time
7:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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