Origin
Frankfort Square, IL
Late night in Frankfort Square on Saturday
Local time
4:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frankfort Square, 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
1h 17m
Distance
58.1 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frankfort Square, IL
Quang Vuong
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Frankfort Square, IL to Elgin, IL covers 58.1 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Tollway, I 80, Lake Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.7 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
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 1h 17m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (14%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 17m drive with frequent turns across 58.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
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.
Veterans Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 30.7 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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Frankfort Square Road.
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 58.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.1 miles (Frankfort Square Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Frankfort Square Road
Turn left onto Frankfort Square Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West: Joliet
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Joliet
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 140
Toward I 355 Toll North: Rockford
7
42.9 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward US 20: Lake Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 30.7 mi | 36m |
| I 80 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Lake Street | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Harlem Avenue | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| West Saint Francis Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 30.7 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frankfort Square, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on Jamison Drive
509 ft
·
27 sec
·
Jamison Drive
2
Turn left onto Frankfort Square Road
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Frankfort Square Road
3
Turn right onto West Saint Francis Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Saint Francis Road
4
Turn left onto IL 43
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Harlem Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 80 West: Joliet
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 80
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 140
Toward I 355 Toll North: Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 355
31 mi
·
36 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left
113 ft
·
4 sec
Use the left lane.
11
Turn straight onto US 20
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
13
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
14
Continue on US 20
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
15
Turn slight left onto Villa Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Villa Street
Toward Villa Street
Use the slight left lane.
16
Turn left
311 ft
·
28 sec
17
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
18
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29 mi from Frankfort Square, IL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29 miles from Frankfort Square, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
The final approach into Elgin, 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
$8.63 one way
$17.25 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $9.73 | $19.46 |
| premium | $4.65 | $10.65 | $21.29 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $12.13 | $24.26 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.15
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(30.7 mi)
$2.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Late night in Elgin on Saturday
Local time
4:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 10 mph
34% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:29PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
71°F
Bloomingdale, IL
29 mi in
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
20 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 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Frankfort Square, IL to Elgin, IL covers 58.1 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial Tollway, I 80, Lake Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29 miles from Frankfort Square, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.63 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 58.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.1 miles (Frankfort Square Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Frankfort Square, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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