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Trip from Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 40m

Distance

140.1 mi

225 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 30m ★
6 AM
2h 41m
8 AM
3h 2m
10 AM
2h 48m
12 PM
2h 46m
3 PM
2h 49m
5 PM
3h 1m
8 PM
2h 34m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Illinois, United States

Ottawa, IL

Wikimedia Commons

capital city of Illinois and county seat of Sangamon County

Springfield, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Connecting Ottawa to Springfield, this 140.1-mile journey is a straightforward trek through the heart of the Illinois Midwest. You can comfortably complete the drive in about 2 hours and 40 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $21 on fuel as you navigate primarily via I-55, I-39, and US-6. Because the route is compact and efficient, it works perfectly for a quick getaway or a necessary transit between these two cities. You will remain within the same state throughout the trip, keeping the experience consistent and easy to navigate for any driver.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

70 miles from Ottawa, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .

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Drive Character

With 96% of the trip spent on highways, this drive is undeniably focused on efficiency rather than winding backroads. You will settle into a rhythmic pace, particularly during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 59.5 miles along I-55. The transition between the interstate segments and the brief local road portions is smooth, though you should be prepared for the high-speed nature of the corridor. Expect a predictable, highway-heavy experience that prioritizes speed and directness over technical maneuvers. It is the type of route where you can set the cruise control and cover significant ground without frequent stops or complex navigation.

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.
Woodward Memorial Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

880 ft 483 ft

Total Climb

493 ft

Total Descent

376 ft

Highest Point

880 ft

~67.9 mi in

Elevation Range

398 ft

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 Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL is easy. At 2h 40m 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 Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Woodward Memorial Drive Unavailable Refreshing
West Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
Boyce Memorial Drive Unavailable Refreshing
US 6 Unavailable Refreshing
I 55 South Unavailable Refreshing
IL 97 West Unavailable Refreshing
Clear Lake Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
East Jefferson Street Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Woodward Memorial Drive — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ottawa, IL and Springfield, IL.

1

Start on La Salle Street

164 ft · 7 sec · La Salle Street
2

Turn slight right onto Woodward Memorial Drive

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Woodward Memorial Drive
3

Turn left onto West Main Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
4

At the end of the road, turn right onto Boyce Memorial Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · Boyce Memorial Drive
5

At the end of the road, turn left

7.8 mi · 11 min
6

At the end of the road, turn right

33 ft · 2 sec
7

Turn left

338 ft · 7 sec
8

Continue straight

4.0 mi · 6 min
9

Take the ramp left toward US 6: LaSalle, Peru, Ottowa

0.2 mi · 25 sec · US 6: LaSalle, Peru, Ottowa
10

Merge slight left

56 mi · 59 min
11

Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur

7.6 mi · 8 min · I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur
12

Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

60 mi · 1 hr 4 min · I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
13

Take the exit slight right toward IL 97 West

0.4 mi · 43 sec · IL 97 West
14

Merge slight left onto Clear Lake Avenue

2.1 mi · 4 min · Clear Lake Avenue
15

Continue on East Jefferson Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Jefferson Street
16

Turn left onto North 7th Street

407 ft · 19 sec · North 7th Street
17

Turn left onto East Washington Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East Washington Street
18

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Given the 2 hour and 40 minute duration, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than rushing to beat daylight. I recommend scheduling at least one stop to break up the drive, which will help keep you alert during the long interstate stretches. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before merging onto the main highways, even with the modest $21 budget estimate, to ensure you aren't searching for a station mid-stretch. Since the route is relatively short, use your single planned stop to stretch your legs thoroughly, as the highway-centric design offers fewer opportunities for spontaneous detours than a local route would.

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 70 miles from Ottawa, IL, or about 1h 20m 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 80 miles or 1h 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 70 miles or 1h 20m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 11m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Springfield, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Ottawa, 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 Ottawa, IL

This is one driving day of about 140.1 miles and 2h 40m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Ottawa, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 70 mi from Ottawa, IL · 1h 20m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bloomington, IL

70 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.

Popular next leg

Bloomington, IL to Springfield, IL

66.2 mi · 1h 19m

Pacing Suggestions

Bloomington, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomington, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 70 miles from Ottawa, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Springfield, IL

The final approach into Springfield, 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 Springfield, 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

$21.90 one way

$43.81 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 49 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $24.05 $48.10
premium $4.89 $26.96 $53.92
diesel $5.61 $30.93 $61.86

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 49 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42 0 $14.71 $6.72
Efficient EV 35 0 $12.26 $5.60
EV Truck/SUV 56 0 $19.61 $8.97

Gas CO2

49 kg

EV CO2

16 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Ottawa, IL

Late night in Ottawa on Wednesday

Local time

12:31 AM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Mostly Cloudy

ESE 10 mph 13% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:35AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:35AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Springfield, IL

Late night in Springfield on Wednesday

Local time

12:31 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Mostly Cloudy

SE 12 mph 14% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:35AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 11:35AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

53°F

Bloomington, IL

70 mi in

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

2h 40m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL covers 140.1 miles and takes about 2h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Woodward Memorial Drive, West Main Street, Boyce Memorial Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 70 miles from Ottawa, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.90 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL is easy. At 2h 40m 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 Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ottawa, IL to Springfield, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 483 ft to 880 ft elevation with about 493 ft of total climbing.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Springfield, IL to Ottawa, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

143 mi 2h 40m

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