Origin
Palatine, IL
Morning in Palatine on Monday
Local time
11:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL
Drive Time
2h 17m
Distance
138.9 mi
224 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 8m
★
6 AM
2h 17m
8 AM
2h 36m
10 AM
2h 24m
12 PM
2h 22m
3 PM
2h 25m
5 PM
2h 35m
8 PM
2h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palatine, IL
Claudia Solano
Trip Overview
The drive from Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL covers 138.9 miles and takes about 2h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Northwest Highway, Hicks Road, Euclid Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.10 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
69.5 miles from Palatine, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 17m drive with frequent turns across 138.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Northwest Highway 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 Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL is easy. At 2h 17m 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 Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Northwest Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Hicks Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Euclid Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| IL 53 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 290 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 355 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 55 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Joliet Road South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
East Northwest Highway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palatine, IL and Bloomington, IL.
1
Start on East Palatine Road
72 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Palatine Road
2
Turn right onto East Northwest Highway
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
3
Turn right onto Hicks Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hicks Road
4
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
66 ft
·
1 sec
·
Euclid Avenue
5
Take the ramp slight right toward IL 53 South
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
IL 53 South
6
Merge slight left
0.9 mi
·
1 min
7
Keep slight left to continue on I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
10
Keep slight left to continue on Joliet Road South
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Joliet Road South
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
12
Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway
101 mi
·
1 hr 51 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 55 Business South: Veterans Parkway, Central Illinois Regional Airport
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 55 Business South: Veterans Parkway, Central Illinois Regional Airport
14
Continue on North Veterans Parkway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Veterans Parkway
15
Take the exit slight right toward IL 9 West: Pekin
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
IL 9 West: Pekin
16
Turn straight onto East Empire Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East Empire Street
17
Turn left onto North Clinton Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Clinton Street
18
Turn right onto East Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
East Mulberry Street
19
Turn left onto North Prairie Street
276 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Prairie Street
20
Turn right onto East Douglas Street
505 ft
·
24 sec
·
East Douglas Street
21
Turn right onto North East Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
North East Street
22
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 69.5 miles from Palatine, IL, or about 1h 8m 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 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 69.5 miles or 1h 8m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bloomington, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palatine, 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 Palatine, IL
This is one driving day of about 138.9 miles and 2h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Palatine, 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 69.5 mi from Palatine, IL · 1h 8m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
69 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 69.5 miles from Palatine, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bloomington, IL
The final approach into Bloomington, 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 Bloomington, 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
$21.10 one way
$42.19 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
49 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $23.26 | $46.52 |
| premium | $4.80 | $26.22 | $52.44 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $30.86 | $61.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 41.7 | 0 | $14.58 | $6.67 |
| Efficient EV | 34.7 | 0 | $12.15 | $5.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 55.6 | 0 | $19.45 | $8.89 |
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.
Destination
Bloomington, IL
Morning in Bloomington on Monday
Local time
11:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
8 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 17m 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 Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL covers 138.9 miles and takes about 2h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Northwest Highway, Hicks Road, Euclid Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 69.5 miles from Palatine, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.10 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 Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL is easy. At 2h 17m 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 Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Palatine, IL to Bloomington, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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