Origin
Oswego, IL
Evening in Oswego on Sunday
Local time
6:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
52.6 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oswego, IL
Mike Tyurin
Evanston, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
The drive from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Madison Street, Chicago Road, Route 59 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.99 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
26.3 miles from Oswego, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 38m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 16m drive with frequent turns across 52.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Madison Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Madison Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Chicago Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Route 59 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 88 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 294 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 294 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Tri-State Tollway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Madison Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oswego, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on East Washington Street
52 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Washington Street
2
Turn right onto Madison Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Madison Street
3
Continue on Chicago Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Chicago Road
4
Turn left
8.4 mi
·
14 min
5
Turn left onto Illinois Route 59
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Illinois Route 59
6
Take the ramp slight right toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 88 East Toll: Chicago
7
Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
8
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
11
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
12
Take the exit slight right toward Touhy Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Touhy Avenue
13
Keep slight left to continue on Touhy Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Touhy Avenue
14
Keep slight right to continue on Touhy Avenue East
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Touhy Avenue East
15
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Touhy Avenue
16
Turn left onto North Harlem Avenue
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Harlem Avenue
17
Turn right onto West Howard Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Howard Street
18
Turn left onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
19
Continue on Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Gross Point Road
20
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
21
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
22
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
23
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
18 sec
24
Arrive at your destination
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 26.3 miles from Oswego, IL, or about 38m into the drive.
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 52.6 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 26.3 miles or 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Evanston, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oswego, 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 Oswego, IL
This is one driving day of about 52.6 miles and 1h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Oswego, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.3 mi from Oswego, IL · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 52.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Oswego, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Evanston, IL
The final approach into Evanston, 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 Evanston, 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
$7.99 one way
$15.98 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $8.81 | $17.61 |
| premium | $4.80 | $9.93 | $19.86 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $11.69 | $23.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$33–$58
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.36 | $3.37 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Evanston, IL
Evening in Evanston on Sunday
Local time
6:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
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
1h 16m 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 Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Madison Street, Chicago Road, Route 59. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.3 miles from Oswego, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.99 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.
The drive from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Oswego, IL to Evanston, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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