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Trip from Kenwood, IL to Bloomington, IL

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

2h 45m

Distance

133.1 mi

214 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 35m ★
6 AM
2h 46m
8 AM
3h 7m
10 AM
2h 53m
12 PM
2h 51m
3 PM
2h 54m
5 PM
3h 6m
8 PM
2h 39m

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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Downtown Kenwood, IL, IL

Kenwood, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Kenwood, IL to Bloomington, IL covers 133.1 miles and takes about 2h 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, East 47th Street, I 55 Business for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 117.2 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.81 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

66.5 miles from Kenwood, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 45m. Total distance: 133.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 45m highway drive covering 133.1 miles, with most of the trip on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and East 47th Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 117.2 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Adlai Stevenson Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 117.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and East 47th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 8.5 miles in near South Central Avenue.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 45m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles (South Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 126.4 miles (I 55 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

6
8.5 mi into trip | ~16m in | South Central Avenue

Turn right onto South Central Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
9.3 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge onto I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
126.4 mi into trip | ~2h 31m in | I 55 Business

Take the exit onto I 55 Business toward I 55 Business South: Veterans Parkway, Central Illinois Regional Airport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 167 Toward I 55 Business South: Veterans Parkway, C...
6
130.5 mi into trip | ~2h 38m in

Take the exit toward IL 9 West: Pekin

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward IL 9 West: Pekin
6
132.2 mi into trip | ~2h 42m in | US 150 / North Clinton Street

Turn left onto US 150 / North Clinton Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Kenwood, IL to Bloomington, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Illinois Regional Airport along the way.

Illinois Regional Airport

126.4 mi in | ~2h 31m | via I 55 Business

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 117.2 mi 2h 13m
East 47th Street 8.5 mi 16m
I 55 Business 3.1 mi 5m
East Empire Street 1.6 mi 3m
North Veterans Parkway 0.9 mi 1m
East Mulberry Street 0.3 mi <1m
North Clinton Street 0.3 mi <1m
South Central Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 117.2 mi, about 2h 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kenwood, IL and Bloomington, IL.

1

Start on East 47th Street

8.5 mi · 16 min · East 47th Street
2

Turn right onto South Central Avenue

0.2 mi · 26 sec · South Central Avenue
Use the right lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 55 South
4

Merge onto I 55

117 mi · 2 hr 13 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit onto I 55 Business

3.1 mi · 5 min · I 55 Business
Exit 167 Toward I 55 Business South: Veterans Parkway, Central Illinois Regional Airport Use the slight right lane.
6

Continue on I 55 Business

0.9 mi · 1 min · North Veterans Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 22 sec
Toward IL 9 West: Pekin Use the right lane.
8

Turn straight onto IL 9

1.6 mi · 3 min · East Empire Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9

Turn left onto US 150

0.3 mi · 50 sec · North Clinton Street
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto East Mulberry Street

0.3 mi · 59 sec · East Mulberry Street
11

Turn left onto North Prairie Street

275 ft · 14 sec · North Prairie Street
12

Turn right onto East Douglas Street

504 ft · 23 sec · East Douglas Street
13

Turn right onto US 51 Business

0.1 mi · 15 sec · North East Street
14

Arrive at destination

US 51 Business

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 66.5 miles from Kenwood, IL, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.2 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 29 miles or 40m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 66.5 miles or 1h 23m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 11m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Kenwood, 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 Kenwood, IL

This is one driving day of about 133.1 miles and 2h 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Kenwood, 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.
The longest stretch is on Adlai Stevenson Expressway for about 117.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 66.5 mi from Kenwood, IL · 1h 23m into the drive

city in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Joliet, IL

67 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

Downers Grove, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Joliet, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 66.5 miles from Kenwood, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Adlai Stevenson Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 117.2 miles.

Arriving in Bloomington, IL

The final approach into Bloomington, 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 Bloomington, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

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...

8 mi from route ~20 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.81 one way

$41.62 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 47 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $22.85 $45.69
premium $4.89 $25.61 $51.23
diesel $5.61 $29.39 $58.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 46.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 39.9 0 $13.98 $6.39
Efficient EV 33.3 0 $11.65 $5.32
EV Truck/SUV 53.2 0 $18.63 $8.52

Gas CO2

47 kg

EV CO2

16 kg (66% 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 13, 2026

Origin

Kenwood, IL

Night in Kenwood on Thursday

Local time

9:42 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bloomington, IL

Night in Bloomington on Thursday

Local time

9:42 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°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

11 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

2h 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 Kenwood, IL to Bloomington, IL covers 133.1 miles and takes about 2h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, East 47th Street, I 55 Business. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 66.5 miles from Kenwood, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.81 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 45m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles (South Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 126.4 miles (I 55 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Kenwood, IL to Bloomington, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Illinois Regional Airport along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

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Return Trip

Bloomington, IL to Kenwood, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

133.2 mi 2h 43m

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