Origin
New Lenox, IL
Afternoon in New Lenox on Thursday
Local time
4:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Lenox, IL to Rockdale, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
15m
Distance
8.6 mi
14 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Lenox, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Rockdale, IL
El Capra
Trip Overview
The drive from New Lenox, IL to Rockdale, IL covers 8.6 miles and takes about 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, West Maple Street, Meadow Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.34 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 8.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from New Lenox, IL to Rockdale, IL covers 8.6 miles and takes about 15m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Haven Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 8.6 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: near the start (East Haven Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Cedar Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Haven Avenue
Turn left onto East Haven Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Cedar Road
Enter roundabout onto North Cedar Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward Meadow Avenue, Center Street
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 131
Toward Meadow Avenue, Center Street
7
7.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Meadow Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Meadow Avenue
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 New Lenox, IL to Rockdale, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Island along the way.
Rock Island
1.6 mi in
|
~4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 5 mi | 6m |
| West Maple Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Meadow Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Cedar Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Midland Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Haven Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Lenox, IL and Rockdale, IL.
1
Start on this road
215 ft
·
22 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East Haven Avenue
175 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Haven Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto North Cedar Road
106 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Cedar Road
4
Continue on North Cedar Road
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Cedar Road
5
Turn left onto US 30
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West Maple Street
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
7
Merge onto I 80
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 131
Toward Meadow Avenue, Center Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward Meadow Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Meadow Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Meadow Avenue
11
Turn left onto Midland Avenue
319 ft
·
8 sec
·
Midland Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
Midland Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.34 one way
$2.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.48 | $2.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.65 | $3.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.90 | $3.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.90 | $0.41 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.75 | $0.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Rockdale, IL
Afternoon in Rockdale on Thursday
Local time
4:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°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
4 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
15m 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 New Lenox, IL to Rockdale, IL covers 8.6 miles and takes about 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, West Maple Street, Meadow Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.3 miles from New Lenox, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.34 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 8.6 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: near the start (East Haven Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Cedar Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from New Lenox, IL to Rockdale, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Island along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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