Origin
Niles, IL
Late night in Niles on Friday
Local time
12:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Niles, IL to Cortland, IL
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
60.4 mi
97 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Niles, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Cortland, IL
Mike Tyurin
Trip Overview
The drive from Niles, IL to Cortland, IL covers 60.4 miles and takes about 1h 23m 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, Lincoln Highway, Randall Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.7 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.44 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 60.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m 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 23m drive with frequent turns across 60.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 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 24.7 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 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Touhy 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 60.4 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (South Dee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Devon Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Touhy Avenue
Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
South Dee Road
Turn left onto South Dee Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Devon Avenue
Turn right onto Devon Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
30.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Randall Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52
Toward Randall Road
8
30.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Randall Road, Elgin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Randall Road, Elgin
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 Niles, IL to Cortland, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Elgin along the way.
Elgin
30.4 mi in
|
~37m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 24.7 mi | 26m |
| Lincoln Highway | 14.7 mi | 20m |
| Randall Road | 8.8 mi | 14m |
| Bolcum Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| LaFox Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| South Dee Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Devon Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 24.7 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Niles, IL and Cortland, IL.
1
Start on North Waukegan Road
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Waukegan Road
2
Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue
507 ft
·
17 sec
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
3
Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto South Dee Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Dee Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Devon Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Devon Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 90
25 mi
·
26 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 52
Toward Randall Road
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
222 ft
·
7 sec
Toward Randall Road, Elgin
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto CR 34
8.8 mi
·
14 min
·
Randall Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Bolcum Road
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Bolcum Road
12
Enter roundabout onto CR 2
178 ft
·
3 sec
·
Burlington Road
13
Continue on CR 2
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Burlington Road
14
Continue on CR 81
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
LaFox Road
15
Turn right onto IL 38
15 mi
·
20 min
·
Lincoln Highway
16
Turn right onto South Somonauk Road
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Somonauk Road
17
Turn right onto East Chestnut Avenue
20 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Chestnut Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
East Chestnut Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.2 mi from Niles, IL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.2 miles from Niles, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cortland, IL
The final approach into Cortland, 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
$9.44 one way
$18.89 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.37 | $20.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.62 | $23.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.34 | $26.67 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.73
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(24.7 mi)
$1.73
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
| Efficient EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.46 | $3.87 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Cortland, IL
Late night in Cortland on Friday
Local time
12:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
17 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 23m 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 Niles, IL to Cortland, IL covers 60.4 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, Lincoln Highway, Randall Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.2 miles from Niles, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.44 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 60.4 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (South Dee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Devon Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Niles, IL to Cortland, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Elgin along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Cortland, IL
Explore more options from Niles, IL or browse trips ending in Cortland, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.