Origin
Evanston, IL
Night in Evanston on Friday
Local time
11:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evanston, IL to Richmond, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
51.3 mi
83 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, IL
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Evanston, IL to Richmond, IL covers 51.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 12, IL 83, Edens Spur for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.4 miles on US 12. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
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 14m. Total distance: 51.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 51.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 12 and IL 83. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.4 miles on US 12.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 12 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 12 and IL 83. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.3 miles you will encounter 20 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
At end of road, turn left
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Asbury Avenue
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 94 / Edens Spur
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
7
18 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward IL 22: Half Day Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 21
Toward IL 22: Half Day Road
6
20.3 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Olde Half Day Road
Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 12 | 15.4 mi | 18m |
| IL 83 | 7.5 mi | 12m |
| Edens Spur | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Edens Expressway | 4 mi | 5m |
| East US Highway 45 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| West State Route 60 | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Half Day Road | 2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
US 12
— 15.4 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Richmond, IL.
1
Start on this road
197 ft
·
21 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left
139 ft
·
15 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
Dempster Street
4
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Turn left onto Green Bay Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Bay Road
6
Turn left onto Central Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Crawford Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Crawford Avenue
8
Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue
90 ft
·
1 sec
·
Wilmette Avenue
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Glenview Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Glenview Road
10
Turn right onto US 41
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Skokie Boulevard
11
Take the ramp onto US 41
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
US 41
Toward I 94 West
12
Merge onto I 94; US 41
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Edens Spur
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 94
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 21
Toward IL 22: Half Day Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn left onto IL 22
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Olde Half Day Road
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on US 45
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
East US Highway 45
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on IL 83
7.5 mi
·
12 min
·
IL 83
20
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 60
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
West State Route 60
21
At end of road, turn left onto IL 120
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Belvidere Road
22
Turn right onto US 12; IL 59
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
23
Continue on US 12; IL 59
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
24
Continue on US 12
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
25
Turn right onto Broadway Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
Broadway Street
26
Arrive at destination
Broadway Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.7 mi from Evanston, IL · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Evanston, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Richmond, IL
The final approach into Richmond, 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
$8.02 one way
$16.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.81 | $17.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.33 | $22.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Tri-state Tollway
(2.6 mi)
$0.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 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 | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.18 | $3.28 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Richmond, IL
Night in Richmond on Friday
Local time
11:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
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 14m 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 Evanston, IL to Richmond, IL covers 51.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 12, IL 83, Edens Spur. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.7 miles from Evanston, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.02 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 51.3 miles you will encounter 20 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Evanston, IL to Richmond, 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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