Origin
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Saturday
Local time
7:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evanston, IL to River Grove, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
15.1 mi
24 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
River Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Evanston, IL to River Grove, IL is 15.1 miles and takes about 29m via Edens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest, specifically within Illinois, making it a convenient local journey. The profile suggests a route with frequent turns, indicating you'll be navigating local roads more than high-speed highways. With no recommended stops and a quick travel time, this is an ideal same-day excursion for those needing to cover a small distance efficiently.
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 29m. Total distance: 15.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll experience a dynamic mix of driving conditions. While 21% of the journey is on the highway, primarily the Edens Expressway, the majority involves navigating local streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 3.2 miles on the Edens Expressway, after which you'll likely transition back to more intricate, stop-and-go traffic. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in speed and direction as you make your way through the suburban landscape.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Edens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.2 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 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 15.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 4.6 miles (US 41 / Skokie Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 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 left onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 41 / Skokie Boulevard
Turn left onto US 41 / Skokie Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
5.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
West Touhy Avenue
Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
8.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Wilson Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 43A
Toward Wilson Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| West Howard Street | 3 mi | 5m |
| West Forest Preserve Drive | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| West Montrose Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Thatcher Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Cicero Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Skokie Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 3.2 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and River Grove, 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
·
14 sec
·
Dempster Street
4
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto West Howard Street
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West Howard Street
6
Turn left onto US 41
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Skokie Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on IL 50
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Cicero Avenue
8
Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 94 East: Chicago
10
Merge onto I 94
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 43A
Toward Wilson Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto West Wilson Avenue
90 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Wilson Avenue
13
Turn left onto IL 50
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Cicero Avenue
14
Turn right onto West Montrose Avenue
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
West Montrose Avenue
Use the right lane.
15
Turn slight left onto West Forest Preserve Drive
2.6 mi
·
5 min
·
West Forest Preserve Drive
16
Turn left onto IL 171
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Cumberland Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on IL 171
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Thatcher Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
IL 171
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.36 one way
$4.72 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.59 | $5.18 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.91 | $5.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.33 | $6.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.59 | $0.72 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.32 | $0.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.97 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
River Grove, IL
Morning in River Grove on Saturday
Local time
7:32 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
17 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
29m 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 River Grove, IL covers 15.1 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Edens Expressway, West Howard Street, West Forest Preserve Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.6 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 $2.36 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 15.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 4.6 miles (US 41 / Skokie Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Evanston, IL to River Grove, 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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