Ditka's Oakbrook
Near the start, right off the route
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+16305722200
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 40m
Distance
182.9 mi
294 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Decatur, IL
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Elmwood Park, IL to Decatur, IL covers 182.9 miles and takes about 3h 40m 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, North Walnut Street, North 1450 East Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 111.5 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.59 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
91.4 miles from Elmwood Park, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 51m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 111.5 mi | 2h 2m |
| North Walnut Street | 23.2 mi | 29m |
| North 1450 East Road | 14.7 mi | 17m |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 7.6 mi | 9m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 5 mi | 6m |
| US 51 Business | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| North Harlem Avenue | 3.3 mi | 8m |
Step-by-step road directions between Elmwood Park, IL and Decatur, IL.
Start on this road
Turn right onto West Belden Avenue
Turn right
Turn left
Turn right onto IL 43
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
Take the exit
Merge onto I 355
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 55
Keep slight left at fork onto I 74; US 51
Take the exit onto US 51
Continue on US 51
Continue on US 51
Turn straight onto US 51 Business
Turn left onto East Wood Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 40 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.4 miles or 1h 51m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Decatur, IL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Elmwood Park, 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 Elmwood Park, IL
This is one driving day of about 182.9 miles and 3h 40m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
91 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 91.4 miles from Elmwood Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Adlai Stevenson Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 111.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
Near the start, right off the route
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+16305722200
Bloomin Cafe
Normal, Illinois
Simon's Restaurant
Villa Park, Illinois
Top Coffee Stop
Crest Hill, Illinois
Early in the drive, short detour
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+18156303694
121 Coffee Run
Decatur, Illinois
Critical Grind Board Game Cafe
Shorewood, Illinois
Near the start, right off the route
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+16305722200
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Normal, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–1 pm
+13098081071
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Villa Park, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–9 pm
+16305300200
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Oak Brook, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm
+16305738180
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Plainfield, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–7:30 pm
+18157826500
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–10 pm
+16307830684
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Joliet, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–3 pm
+18157824094
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Crest Hill, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+18157826417
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Crest Hill, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+18156303694
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Decatur, Illinois
Hours: 6 am–11 pm
+12175427962
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Shorewood, Illinois
Hours: 9 am–11 pm
+18156304235
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Plainfield, Illinois
Hours: 6 am–5 pm
+16306962137
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, ~9 min detour
Shorewood, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+17792421902
Visit websiteNear the start, ~10 min detour
Berwyn, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–1 pm
+17084849794
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Joliet, Illinois
Hours: 9 am–9 pm
+18476271095
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, ~12 min detour
Coal City, Illinois
Hours: 8 am–12 pm
+18155185375
Later in the drive, right off the route
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18777983752
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887484261
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887484273
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Normal, Illinois
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Normal, Illinois
+13094549590
Visit websiteLater in the drive, ~9 min detour
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Decatur, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18776642738
Visit websiteNear the start, ~11 min detour
Willowbrook, Illinois
Hours: 8:30 am–4:30 pm
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 25.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 290 West
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 355 South: Joliet
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$28.59 one way
$57.19 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $31.40 | $62.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $35.20 | $70.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $40.38 | $80.76 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 54.9 | 0 | $19.20 | $8.78 |
| Efficient EV | 45.7 | 0 | $16.00 | $7.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.2 | 0 | $25.61 | $11.71 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 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
Afternoon in Elmwood Park on Saturday
Local time
3:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Decatur on Saturday
Local time
3:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
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
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
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
182.9 mi in 3h 40m, mostly highway — 111.5 mi of that is on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and North Walnut Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 182.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elmwood Park, IL and Decatur, IL, road signs point toward 22Nd Street (Cermak Road), Saint Louis, Joliet Road South and Bloomington.
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
Saint Louis
Joliet Road South
Bloomington
Founded 1914
The Northwest Suburbs are in Chicagoland, primarily in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, centered along Metra’s North Central Service, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the city. For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.
Founded 1823
Decatur is a city in Macon county, Illinois. There are many examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's influence on the Prairie Style Architecture in Decatur.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 40m. Total distance: 182.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
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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