Trip from Evanston, IL to Alden, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 30m

Distance

62.8 mi

101 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min

4 AM

1h 24m ★

6 AM

1h 31m

8 AM

1h 45m

10 AM

1h 36m

12 PM

1h 34m

3 PM

1h 36m

5 PM

1h 44m

8 PM

1h 27m

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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suburban city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Evanston, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Alden, IL

Mike Tyurin

Trip Overview

The drive from Evanston, IL to Alden, IL covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 12, Kenosha Street, IL 83 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.7 miles on US 12. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.82 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.

Midpoint

31.4 miles from Evanston, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 62.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Evanston, IL to Alden, IL covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 30m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 27 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 15.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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

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 21 significant decision points across 62.8 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: 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 21 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in

At end of road, turn left

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Asbury Avenue

Turn right onto Asbury Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

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

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

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	15.7 mi	18m
Kenosha Street	11.2 mi	15m
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

Longest stretch: US 12 — 15.7 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Alden, IL.

Start on this road

197 ft · 21 sec · this road

At end of road, turn left

139 ft · 15 sec

At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street

213 ft · 11 sec · Dempster Street

Turn right onto Asbury Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · Asbury Avenue

Use the straight / left lanes.

Turn left onto Green Bay Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Green Bay Road

Turn left onto Central Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · Central Street

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Crawford Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Crawford Avenue

Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue

90 ft · 1 sec · Wilmette Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto Glenview Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Glenview Road

Turn right onto US 41

1.2 mi · 2 min · Skokie Boulevard

Take the ramp onto US 41

0.2 mi · 30 sec · US 41

Toward I 94 West

Merge onto I 94; US 41

4.0 mi · 5 min · Edens Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

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.

Merge onto I 94

2.6 mi · 2 min · Tri-State Tollway

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec

Exit 21 Toward IL 22: Half Day Road Use the slight right lane.

Turn left onto IL 22

2.0 mi · 3 min · Half Day Road

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Olde Half Day Road

Use the right lane.

Continue on US 45

3.9 mi · 6 min · East US Highway 45

Use the left lane.

Continue on IL 83

7.5 mi · 12 min · IL 83

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 60

3.1 mi · 4 min · West State Route 60

At end of road, turn left onto IL 120

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Belvidere Road

Turn right onto US 12; IL 59

1.3 mi · 1 min · US 12; IL 59

Continue on US 12; IL 59

12 mi · 14 min · US 12; IL 59

Use the left lane.

Continue on US 12

2.0 mi · 2 min · US 12

Turn left onto IL 173

11 mi · 15 min · Kenosha Street

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto V12

11 ft · 0 sec · Alden Road

Arrive at destination

V12

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 31.4 miles from Evanston, IL, or about 49m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.7 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 62.8 miles or 1h 30m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 31.4 miles or 49m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 17m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Evanston, 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 Evanston, IL

This is one driving day of about 62.8 miles and 1h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Evanston, IL.

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

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on US 12 for about 15.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.4 mi from Evanston, IL · 49m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Palatine, IL

31 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

Elgin, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 62.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Palatine, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.4 miles from Evanston, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Alden, IL

The final approach into Alden, 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 Alden, IL.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

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...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour Free

Caution: Road Construction Near the Park

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.82 one way

$19.64 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$10.78	$21.56
premium	$4.89	$12.09	$24.17
diesel	$5.61	$13.87	$27.73

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.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	18.8	$6.59	$3.01
Efficient EV	15.7	$5.49	$2.51
EV Truck/SUV	25.1	$8.79	$4.02

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Evanston, IL

Afternoon in Evanston on Thursday

Local time

4:42 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Alden, IL

Afternoon in Alden on Thursday

Local time

4:42 PM

CDT

Current temp

65°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

2 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

1h 30m 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 Alden, IL covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 12, Kenosha Street, IL 83. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 31.4 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 $9.82 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.