Origin
Irving Park, IL
Late night in Irving Park on Friday
Local time
12:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Irving Park, IL to Elgin, IL
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
45m
Distance
32 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irving Park, IL
Willian Justen de Vasconcellos
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Irving Park, IL to Elgin, IL covers 32 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, West Higgins Road, Dundee Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.6 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 32 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 20.6 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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near North Northwest Highway.
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 32 miles you will encounter 8 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 2.3 miles (North Northwest Highway): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
North Northwest Highway
Turn left onto North Northwest Highway
Navigation decision point
5
8.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward IL 25
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
5
31.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
32 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
East Chicago Street
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 20.6 mi | 22m |
| West Higgins Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Dundee Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| West Bryn Mawr Avenue | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| North Northwest Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Irving Park Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Center Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 20.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Irving Park, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on IL 19
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
West Irving Park Road
2
Turn slight right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Northwest Highway
67 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Northwest Highway
4
Continue on North Northwest Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Northwest Highway
5
Turn slight left onto West Bryn Mawr Avenue
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on IL 72
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
West Higgins Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 90 Toll West
8
Merge onto I 90
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
504 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
11
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
this road
12
Turn left onto IL 25
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Dundee Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on Center Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Center Street
14
Turn right
311 ft
·
28 sec
15
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
16
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16 mi from Irving Park, IL · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 miles from Irving Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Elgin, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.00 one way
$10.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.49 | $10.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.16 | $12.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.07 | $14.13 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.44
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(20.6 mi)
$1.44
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Elgin, IL
Late night in Elgin on Friday
Local time
12:09 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
2 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
45m 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 Irving Park, IL to Elgin, IL covers 32 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, West Higgins Road, Dundee Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16 miles from Irving Park, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.00 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 32 miles you will encounter 8 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 2.3 miles (North Northwest Highway): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Irving Park, IL to Elgin, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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