Trip from Elk Grove, IL to Empire, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 6m

Distance

148 mi

238 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min

4 AM

2h 55m ★

6 AM

3h 7m

8 AM

3h 30m

10 AM

3h 15m

12 PM

3h 12m

3 PM

3h 16m

5 PM

3h 29m

8 PM

3h 0m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Elk Grove, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Empire, IL

Claudia Solano

Trip Overview

The drive from Elk Grove, IL to Empire, IL covers 148 miles and takes about 3h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Kingery Highway, I 74 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 102.9 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.14 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

74 miles from Elk Grove, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 33m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 3h 6m highway drive covering 148 miles, with most of the trip on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Kingery Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 102.9 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Adlai Stevenson Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 102.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Kingery Highway. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near Devon Avenue.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 148 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 1 miles (Devon Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

1 mi into trip | ~1m in | Devon Avenue

Turn right onto Devon Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

19.3 mi into trip | ~31m in

Take the exit toward I 55 South: Joliet

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 55 South: Joliet

19.9 mi into trip | ~32m in | I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge onto I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

123.9 mi into trip | ~2h 30m in | CR 29 / West Hely Street

At end of road, turn right onto CR 29 / West Hely Street

Navigation decision point

146.1 mi into trip | ~3h 1m in

Take the exit toward US 136: Rantoul, Heyworth

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 152 Toward US 136: Rantoul, Heyworth

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 Elk Grove, IL to Empire, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Towanda along the way.

Towanda

122.8 mi in | ~2h 27m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway	102.9 mi	1h 54m
Kingery Highway	13.3 mi	21m
I 74	9 mi	9m
North Towanda Barnes Road	6.8 mi	10m
Towanda-Barnes Road	3 mi	4m
Busse Road	2.1 mi	3m
US 150	2 mi	2m
Robert Kingery Highway	1.9 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 102.9 mi, about 1h 54m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elk Grove, IL and Empire, IL.

Start on South Elmhurst Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Elmhurst Road

Turn right onto Devon Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · Devon Avenue

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto IL 83

2.1 mi · 3 min · Busse Road

Use the left lane.

Continue on IL 83

2.0 mi · 3 min · Kingery Highway

Continue on IL 83

1.9 mi · 2 min · Robert Kingery Highway

Toward IL 83 South: Kingery Highway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on IL 83

11 mi · 17 min · Kingery Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 55 South: Joliet Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 55

103 mi · 1 hr 54 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 26 sec

Toward Towanda

Turn straight onto CR 29

0.4 mi · 44 sec · North 1900 East Road

Use the straight lane.

Continue on CR 29

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Jefferson Street

At end of road, turn right onto CR 29

0.2 mi · 34 sec · West Hely Street

Continue on CR 29

3.0 mi · 4 min · Towanda-Barnes Road

Continue on CR 29

6.8 mi · 10 min · North Towanda Barnes Road

Turn left onto US 150

2.0 mi · 2 min · US 150

Turn right onto CR 27

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Seminary Street

Continue on CR 27; CR 36

0.4 mi · 43 sec · East 700 North Road

Turn left

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Toward I 74 East: Champaign

Merge onto I 74

9.0 mi · 9 min · I 74

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 31 sec

Exit 152 Toward US 136: Rantoul, Heyworth

Turn left onto US 136

0.4 mi · 37 sec · East 200 North Road

Turn right onto East 150 North Road

1.1 mi · 4 min · East 150 North Road

Arrive at destination

East 150 North Road

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 74 miles from Elk Grove, IL, or about 1h 33m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.9 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 33 miles or 47m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 74 miles or 1h 33m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Empire, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Elk Grove, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Elk Grove, IL

This is one driving day of about 148 miles and 3h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Elk Grove, IL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Adlai Stevenson Expressway for about 102.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 74 mi from Elk Grove, IL · 1h 33m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Joliet, IL

74 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

Joliet, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Morris, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 74 miles from Elk Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Adlai Stevenson Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 102.9 miles.

Arriving in Empire, IL

The final approach into Empire, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Empire, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.14 one way

$46.28 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 52 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$25.40	$50.81
premium	$4.89	$28.48	$56.96
diesel	$5.61	$32.68	$65.35

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 51.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	44.4	$15.54	$7.10
Efficient EV	37	$12.95	$5.92
EV Truck/SUV	59.2	$20.72	$9.47

Gas CO2

52 kg

EV CO2

17 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Elk Grove, IL

Evening in Elk Grove on Wednesday

Local time

7:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Empire, IL

Evening in Empire on Wednesday

Local time

7:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

1 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

3h 6m 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 Elk Grove, IL to Empire, IL covers 148 miles and takes about 3h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Kingery Highway, I 74. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 74 miles from Elk Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.14 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

On the drive from Elk Grove, IL to Empire, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Towanda along the way.

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Trip from Elk Grove, IL to Empire, IL

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Empire, IL

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Elk Grove, IL

Empire, IL

Same local time

1 degrees warmer at arrival

3h 6m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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