Origin
Forest Park, IL
Night in Forest Park on Wednesday
Local time
9:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forest Park, IL to Belleville, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
4h 42m
Distance
291.3 mi
469 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$46
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 29m
★
6 AM
4h 43m
8 AM
5h 10m
10 AM
4h 52m
12 PM
4h 50m
3 PM
4h 54m
5 PM
5h 8m
8 PM
4h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Belleville, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Forest Park, IL to Belleville, IL covers 291.3 miles and takes about 4h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Des Plaines Avenue, I 290 West, Eisenhower Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.54 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
145.6 miles from Forest Park, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 21m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 42m drive with frequent turns across 291.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Des Plaines Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 42m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Forest Park, IL to Belleville, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Des Plaines Avenue | — | — |
| I 290 West | — | — |
| Eisenhower Expressway | — | — |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | — | — |
| I 355 South | — | — |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | — | — |
| I 55 South | — | — |
| Joliet Road South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Des Plaines Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Park, IL and Belleville, IL.
1
Start on Madison Street
43 ft
·
7 sec
·
Madison Street
2
Turn left onto Des Plaines Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Des Plaines Avenue
3
Take the ramp right toward I 290 West: Eisenhower Expressway
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 290 West: Eisenhower Expressway
4
Merge slight left onto Eisenhower Expressway
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
5
Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
6
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 355 South: Joliet
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 355 South: Joliet
8
Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
10
Keep slight left to continue on Joliet Road South
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Joliet Road South
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
12
Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway
112 mi
·
2 hr 2 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
13
Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
65 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
78 mi
·
1 hr 23 min
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
15
Take the exit slight right toward IL 159 South: Collinsville
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
IL 159 South: Collinsville
16
Continue on Vandalia Street
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Vandalia Street
17
Continue on South Morrison Avenue
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Morrison Avenue
18
Continue on North Illinois Street
9.3 mi
·
14 min
·
North Illinois Street
19
Turn left onto East F Street
59 ft
·
3 sec
·
East F Street
20
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 145.6 miles from Forest Park, IL, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
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 64 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 145.6 miles or 2h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Belleville, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Forest 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 Forest Park, IL
This is one driving day of about 291.3 miles and 4h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Forest Park, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 145.6 mi from Forest Park, IL · 2h 21m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
146 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 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 145.6 miles from Forest Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Belleville, IL
The final approach into Belleville, 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 Belleville, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.54 one way
$91.08 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
102 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $50.00 | $100.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $56.06 | $112.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $64.32 | $128.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 101.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 87.4 | 1 | $30.59 | $13.98 |
| Efficient EV | 72.8 | 0 | $25.49 | $11.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 116.5 | 1 | $40.78 | $18.64 |
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Belleville, IL
Night in Belleville on Wednesday
Local time
9:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Bloomington, IL
146 mi in
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
6 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
4h 42m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Forest Park, IL to Belleville, IL covers 291.3 miles and takes about 4h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Des Plaines Avenue, I 290 West, Eisenhower Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 145.6 miles from Forest Park, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.54 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 42m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Forest Park, IL to Belleville, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Forest Park, IL to Belleville, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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