Origin
Montgomery, IL
Afternoon in Montgomery on Friday
Local time
1:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montgomery, IL to Arlington Heights, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
43.2 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montgomery, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Montgomery, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 43.2 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, I 290 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.2 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 43.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 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 drive with frequent turns across 43.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.2 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 5.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
20.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
6
37.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
40.4 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward East Euclid Avenue, Third District, Circuit Court
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.
Toward East Euclid Avenue, Third District, Circ...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Montgomery, IL and Arlington Heights, IL, road signs point toward Dekalb-Iowa and Third District.
Dekalb-Iowa
5.1 mi in
|
~9m
Third District
40.4 mi in
|
~54m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 15.2 mi | 19m |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 10.6 mi | 13m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| South Lake Street | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| IL 53 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Euclid Avenue | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Euclid Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 15.2 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montgomery, IL and Arlington Heights, IL.
1
Start on IL 31
90 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Lake Street
2
Continue on IL 31
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
South Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Lincolnway Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
4
Take the ramp
387 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
this road
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward East Euclid Avenue, Third District, Circuit Court
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn slight right onto Euclid Avenue
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Euclid Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
East Euclid Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.6 mi from Montgomery, IL · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Montgomery, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arlington Heights, IL
The final approach into Arlington Heights, 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
$6.75 one way
$13.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.42 | $14.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.31 | $16.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.54 | $19.08 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.65
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(15.2 mi)
$0.91
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.6 mi)
$0.74
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Arlington Heights, IL
Afternoon in Arlington Heights on Friday
Local time
1:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 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 Montgomery, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 43.2 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, I 290. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.6 miles from Montgomery, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.75 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 43.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Montgomery, IL and Arlington Heights, IL, road signs point toward Dekalb-Iowa and Third District.
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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