Origin
Elgin, IL
Morning in Elgin on Friday
Local time
9:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to Portage Park, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Portage Park, IL
Willian Justen de Vasconcellos
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to Portage Park, IL covers 31.3 miles and takes about 44m 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, West Higgins Avenue, Dundee Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 44m drive with frequent turns across 31.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 22 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 early in the drive near Center Street.
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 19 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 24.3 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Center Street
Turn left onto Center Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 Toll East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 90 Toll East: Chicago
7
24.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway toward Cumberland Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Cumberland Avenue
7
24.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Cumberland flyover
Take the exit onto Cumberland flyover toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 79A
Toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue South
6
25.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
IL 171 / North Cumberland Avenue
Turn right onto IL 171 / North Cumberland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Elgin, IL to Portage Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
2.2 mi in
|
~4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 22 mi | 24m |
| West Higgins Avenue | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| Dundee Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West Higgins Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Cumberland flyover | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Central Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Cumberland Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Liberty Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 22 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Portage Park, 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
21 mi
·
23 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Toward Cumberland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
526 ft
·
29 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
13
Merge onto I 90
402 ft
·
4 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
14
Take the exit onto Cumberland flyover
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cumberland flyover
Exit 79A
Toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
245 ft
·
8 sec
Toward IL 171 South: Cumberland Avenue
16
Turn right onto IL 171
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Cumberland Avenue
Use the right lane.
17
Continue on IL 171
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Cumberland Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto IL 72
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Higgins Road
19
Turn right onto IL 72
326 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Oriole Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Turn left onto IL 72
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West Higgins Avenue
21
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Avenue
22
Turn left onto West Cullom Avenue
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Cullom Avenue
23
Turn right onto North Linder Avenue
334 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Linder Avenue
24
Turn right onto West Hutchinson Street
99 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Hutchinson Street
25
Arrive at destination
West Hutchinson Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.89 one way
$9.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.02 | $12.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.50
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(21.5 mi)
$1.50
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Portage Park, IL
Morning in Portage Park on Friday
Local time
9:58 AM
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
2 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
44m 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 Portage Park, IL covers 31.3 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, West Higgins Avenue, Dundee Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.6 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 $4.89 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 19 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 24.3 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Elgin, IL to Portage Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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