Origin
Elgin, IL
Evening in Elgin on Friday
Local time
5:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to Goodings Grove, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Goodings Grove, IL
Sam McCool
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to Goodings Grove, IL covers 43 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 355, Lake Street, West Lake Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on I 355. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Elgin, IL to Goodings Grove, IL covers 43 miles and takes about 1h, 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 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 355 is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
804 ft
739 ft
Total Climb
65 ft
Total Descent
9 ft
Highest Point
804 ft
~3.1 mi in
Elevation Range
65 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 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 43 miles you will encounter 8 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 14.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles (I 355): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 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
14.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
5
14.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 355
Merge onto I 355
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
37.8 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward IL 171: Archer Avenue, 143rd Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7
Toward IL 171: Archer Avenue, 143rd Street
6
38.8 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
CH 37 / West 143rd Street
Turn left onto CH 37 / West 143rd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 355 | 23.1 mi | 28m |
| Lake Street | 6.5 mi | 10m |
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| West 143rd Street | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Villa Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Chicago Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 355
— 23.1 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Goodings Grove, 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
6.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 355
23 mi
·
28 min
·
I 355
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 7
Toward IL 171: Archer Avenue, 143rd Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on this road
450 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
Exit 7
Toward IL 171: Archer Avenue, 143rd Street
10
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto CH 37
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 143rd Street
Use the left lane.
12
At end of road, turn right onto CH 37
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
West 143rd Street
13
Arrive at destination
CH 37
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Elgin, IL · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Elgin, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Goodings Grove, IL
The final approach into Goodings Grove, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.72 one way
$13.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.38 | $14.76 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.27 | $16.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 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 | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
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
Goodings Grove, IL
Evening in Goodings Grove on Friday
Local time
5:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Bloomingdale, IL
22 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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 Goodings Grove, IL covers 43 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 355, Lake Street, West Lake Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 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 $6.72 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 43 miles you will encounter 8 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 14.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles (I 355): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elgin, IL to Goodings Grove, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 739 ft to 804 ft elevation with about 65 ft of total climbing.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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