Origin
Elgin, IL
Late night in Elgin on Friday
Local time
12:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to South Lawndale, IL
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
57m
Distance
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
South Lawndale, IL
NIKOLAI FOMIN
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to South Lawndale, IL covers 36 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 US 20, West Lake Street, Lake Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.3 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 36 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Elgin, IL to South Lawndale, IL covers 36 miles and takes about 57m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.3 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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Villa 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 36 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: near the start (Villa Street): Navigation decision point; at 19.7 miles (US 20): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Villa Street
Turn right onto Villa Street
Navigation decision point
6
19.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
US 20
Take the ramp onto US 20 toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
7
32.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 24B
Toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
5
32.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Turn right onto IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
32.6 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
West Roosevelt Road
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 12.3 mi | 17m |
| West Lake Street | 10.3 mi | 15m |
| Lake Street | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| Villa Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| South Pulaski Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| West Roosevelt Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 27th Street | 0.6 mi | 3m |
| South Cicero Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 12.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and South Lawndale, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
34 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn right onto Villa Street
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Villa Street
3
Merge onto US 20
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
4
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
5
Continue on US 20
6.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
6
Continue on US 20
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
West Lake Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
7
Take the ramp onto US 20
12 mi
·
17 min
·
US 20
Toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
Use the left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 24B
Toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn straight onto West Lexington Street
302 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Lexington Street
10
Turn right onto IL 50
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Cicero Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Roosevelt Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto South Pulaski Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Pulaski Road
13
Turn left onto West 27th Street
0.6 mi
·
3 min
·
West 27th Street
14
Turn left onto South Saint Louis Avenue
380 ft
·
26 sec
·
South Saint Louis Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
South Saint Louis Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18 mi from Elgin, IL · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Elgin, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in South Lawndale, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into South Lawndale, 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
$5.63 one way
$11.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.18 | $12.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.93 | $13.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
South Lawndale, IL
Late night in South Lawndale on Friday
Local time
12:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
18 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 South Lawndale, IL covers 36 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, West Lake Street, Lake Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18 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 $5.63 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 36 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: near the start (Villa Street): Navigation decision point; at 19.7 miles (US 20): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elgin, IL to South Lawndale, 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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