Origin
Lakewood, IL
Evening in Lakewood on Tuesday
Local time
7:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, IL to Elgin, IL
Data updated 4 hours ago
Drive Time
32m
Distance
16.3 mi
26 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, IL
Mike Tyurin
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lakewood, IL to Elgin, IL covers 16.3 miles and takes about 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Randall Road, North Randall Road, North State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.7 miles on South Randall Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.55 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
8.2 miles from Lakewood, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 17m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 32m drive with frequent turns across 16.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Randall Road is the longest continuous segment at about 6.7 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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Golf Road.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.3 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.8 miles (Golf Road): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Nash Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (McHenry Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Golf Road
Turn left onto Golf Road
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Nash Road
At end of road, turn right onto Nash Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
McHenry Avenue
Turn right onto McHenry Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
11.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Turn left toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
7
13.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward IL 31 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 54A
Toward IL 31 South
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Randall Road | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| North Randall Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North State Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 1.8 mi | 1m |
| McHenry Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Broadway Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Nash Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Chicago Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Randall Road
— 6.7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on Broadway Avenue
341 ft
·
20 sec
·
Broadway Avenue
2
Continue on Broadway Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway Avenue
3
Turn right onto Country Club Road
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Country Club Road
4
Turn left onto Golf Road
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Golf Road
5
At end of road, turn right onto Nash Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Nash Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto Nash Road
285 ft
·
13 sec
·
Nash Road
7
Turn right onto McHenry Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
McHenry Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn right onto V29
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Randall Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on V29
6.7 mi
·
10 min
·
South Randall Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 90 East Toll: Chicago
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto I 90
1.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 54A
Toward IL 31 South
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto IL 31
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North State Street
14
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
East Chicago Street
15
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 8.2 miles from Lakewood, IL, or about 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.7 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 16.3 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 8.2 miles or 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elgin, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, IL
This is one driving day of about 16.3 miles and 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lakewood, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on South Randall Road for about 6.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 8.2 mi from Lakewood, IL · 17m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
8 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 16.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 8.2 miles from Lakewood, 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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Elgin, 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
$2.55 one way
$5.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.80 | $5.60 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.14 | $6.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.60 | $7.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(1.8 mi)
$0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Evening in Elgin on Tuesday
Local time
7:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°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
7 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
32m 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 Lakewood, IL to Elgin, IL covers 16.3 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Randall Road, North Randall Road, North State Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.2 miles from Lakewood, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.55 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 16.3 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.8 miles (Golf Road): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Nash Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (McHenry Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lakewood, IL to Elgin, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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