The drive from Peoria, IL to Alton, IL covers 157.4 miles and takes about 3h 3m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, I 155, State Route 140 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 96.7 miles on I 55.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.61 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
78.7 miles from Peoria, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 27m into the drive
.
Alton is a charming river town in Illinois just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. Once a blue collar town of heavy manufacturing, Alton has transformed itself into a tourist destination and wedding and reception resort of the Midwest.
Top landmarks
•Alton National Cemetery — United States National Cemetery located in the city of Alton, in Madison County,...
•Alton Military Prison — prison located in Alton, Illinois
•Upper Alton Historic District — historic district in Illinois, United States
This is a 3h 3m highway drive covering 157.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and I 155. The longest continuous stretch is about 96.7 miles on I 55.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 is the longest continuous segment at about 96.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 155. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Hamilton Boulevard.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 3m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Hamilton Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Fayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IL 29): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Hamilton Boulevard
Turn right onto Hamilton Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Fayette Street
Turn right onto Fayette Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|IL 29
Take the ramp onto IL 29 toward I 74 East, IL 29 South: Bloomington, Pekin
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 74 East, IL 29 South: Bloomington, Pek...
5
40.4 mi into trip|~45m in|I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
74.4 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|I 55
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
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 Peoria, IL to Alton, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Greenville along the way.
Greenville
137 mi in|~2h 30m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
96.7 mi
1h 44m
I 155
31.8 mi
34m
State Route 140
9.6 mi
13m
Murray Baker Bridge
7.3 mi
8m
College Avenue
3.9 mi
6m
East Bethalto Drive
1.8 mi
3m
East MacArthur Drive
1.4 mi
2m
West Macarthur Drive
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 96.7 mi, about 1h 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Peoria, IL and Alton, IL.
1
Start on Northeast Jefferson Avenue
84 ft·5 sec·Northeast Jefferson Avenue
2
Turn right onto Hamilton Boulevard
464 ft·16 sec·Hamilton Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Northeast Madison Avenue
449 ft·16 sec·Northeast Madison Avenue
4
Turn right onto Fayette Street
469 ft·15 sec·Fayette Street
5
Take the ramp onto IL 29
0.2 mi·25 sec·IL 29
Toward I 74 East, IL 29 South: Bloomington, Pekin
6
Merge onto I 74; IL 29
7.3 mi·8 min·Murray Baker Bridge
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 155 South: Lincoln
8
Continue on I 155
32 mi·34 min·I 155
9
Merge onto I 55
34 mi·37 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 55
63 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
12
Turn right onto IL 140
0.7 mi·1 min·East State Street
13
Continue on IL 140
9.6 mi·13 min·State Route 140
14
Continue on IL 140
1.8 mi·3 min·East Bethalto Drive
15
Continue on IL 111; IL 140
1.4 mi·2 min·East MacArthur Drive
16
Continue on IL 111; IL 140
1.3 mi·2 min·West Macarthur Drive
17
Continue on IL 111; IL 140
3.6 mi·6 min·College Avenue
18
Enter roundabout onto College Avenue
397 ft·7 sec·College Avenue
19
Continue on College Avenue
0.3 mi·27 sec·College Avenue
20
Turn left onto US 67
0.9 mi·1 min·Martin Luther King Drive
21
Continue on US 67
0.4 mi·36 sec·Piasa Street
22
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·West 3rd Street
23
Turn right onto Alby Street
118 ft·5 sec·Alby Street
24
Arrive at destination
Alby Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 78.7 miles from Peoria, IL, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 96.7 miles.
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 35 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.7 miles or 1h 27m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alton, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Peoria, 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 Peoria, IL
This is one driving day of about 157.4 miles and 3h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Peoria, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 96.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 78.7 mi from Peoria, IL
· 1h 27m into the drive
The midpoint is around 78.7 miles from Peoria, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alton, IL
The final approach into Alton, 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 Alton, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.61 one way
$49.22 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$27.02
$54.04
premium
$4.89
$30.29
$60.58
diesel
$5.61
$34.75
$69.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.2
0
$16.53
$7.56
Efficient EV
39.4
0
$13.77
$6.30
EV Truck/SUV
63
0
$22.04
$10.07
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Peoria, IL
Morning
in Peoria on Saturday
Local time
10:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Alton, IL
Morning
in Alton on Saturday
Local time
10:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
78°F
Springfield, IL
79 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
3 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
3h 3m 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 Peoria, IL to Alton, IL covers 157.4 miles and takes about 3h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55, I 155, State Route 140. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 78.7 miles from Peoria, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.61 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 3m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Hamilton Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Fayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IL 29): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Peoria, IL to Alton, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Greenville along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
