Origin
Elmwood Park, IL
Morning in Elmwood Park on Saturday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmwood Park, IL to Elgin, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 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 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elmwood Park, IL to Elgin, IL covers 31.5 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, North East River Road, Dundee Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.6 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Elmwood Park, IL
Full guide →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.
Arriving 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 44m. Total distance: 31.5 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 44m drive with frequent turns across 31.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 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 20.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Belden Avenue.
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 31.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 (West Belden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 73rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Fullerton Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 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
|
West Belden Avenue
Turn right onto West Belden Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 73rd Avenue
Turn left onto North 73rd Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Fullerton Avenue
Turn left onto West Fullerton Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
73rd Avenue
Turn right onto 73rd Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
28.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward IL 25
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 20.6 mi | 22m |
| North East River Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Dundee Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| West Higgins Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Cumberland Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West Grand Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Thatcher Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Montrose Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 20.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmwood Park, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on this road
186 ft
·
15 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto West Belden Avenue
175 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Belden Avenue
3
Turn left onto North 73rd Avenue
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
North 73rd Avenue
4
Turn left onto West Fullerton Avenue
143 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Fullerton Avenue
5
Turn right onto 73rd Avenue
361 ft
·
16 sec
·
73rd Avenue
6
Turn left onto West Grand Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Grand Avenue
7
Turn right onto IL 171
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Thatcher Avenue
8
Continue on IL 171
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Cumberland Avenue
9
Turn left onto West Montrose Avenue
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Montrose Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on North East River Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North East River Road
11
Turn left onto IL 72
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Higgins Road
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 90 Toll West
13
Merge onto I 90
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
504 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
16
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
this road
17
Turn left onto IL 25
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Dundee Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on Center Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Center Street
19
Turn right
311 ft
·
28 sec
20
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
21
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.92 one way
$9.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.41 | $10.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.06 | $12.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.44
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(20.6 mi)
$1.44
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
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 | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
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
Elgin, IL
Morning in Elgin on Saturday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
21 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 Elmwood Park, IL to Elgin, IL covers 31.5 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, North East River Road, Dundee Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.7 miles from Elmwood Park, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.92 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 31.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 (West Belden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 73rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Fullerton Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Elmwood Park, IL to Elgin, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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