Origin
Goodings Grove, IL
Afternoon in Goodings Grove on Friday
Local time
3:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Goodings Grove, IL to Evanston, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
40.2 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Goodings Grove, IL
Sam McCool
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Goodings Grove, IL to Evanston, IL covers 40.2 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Kingery Highway, Oakton Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.9 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 40.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m 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
Expect a 1h 4m drive with frequent turns across 40.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15 miles in.
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 40.2 miles you will encounter 17 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 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
15 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
8
17.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rock...
7
28.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
8
29 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
7
40.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Goodings Grove, IL and Evanston, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue East.
Rockford
17.6 mi in
|
~26m
Milwaukee
18.2 mi in
|
~27m
Touhy Avenue East
29 mi in
|
~42m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 9.9 mi | 13m |
| Kingery Highway | 9.1 mi | 12m |
| Oakton Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| South Bell Road | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| East Touhy Avenue | 3 mi | 5m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Howard Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Archer Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 9.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Goodings Grove, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on CH 37
49 ft
·
5 sec
·
West 143rd Street
2
Turn right onto CH 16
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
South Bell Road
3
Turn right onto IL 171
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Archer Avenue
4
Continue on IL 83
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 83
5
Continue on IL 83
9.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Kingery Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
10
Merge onto I 294
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Touhy Avenue
15
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto West Howard Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Howard Street
17
Turn left onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
18
Continue on Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Gross Point Road
19
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
20
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
22
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.1 mi from Goodings Grove, IL · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Goodings Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Evanston, IL
The final approach into Evanston, 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
$6.28 one way
$12.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.90 | $13.80 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.74 | $15.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.88 | $17.75 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.72
Tri-state Tollway
(9.9 mi)
$0.60
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(2 mi)
$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.22 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.52 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Evanston, IL
Afternoon in Evanston on Friday
Local time
3:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
15 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 4m 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 Goodings Grove, IL to Evanston, IL covers 40.2 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Kingery Highway, Oakton Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.1 miles from Goodings Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.28 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 40.2 miles you will encounter 17 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 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Goodings Grove, IL and Evanston, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue East.
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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