Origin
Prospect Heights, IL
Morning in Prospect Heights on Friday
Local time
8:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Prospect Heights, IL to Cicero, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
28.7 mi
46 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Prospect Heights, IL
Mike Tyurin
Trip Overview
This 28.7-mile drive from Prospect Heights, IL to Cicero, IL is a manageable one-day trip, taking about 42 minutes to complete. You'll navigate a mix of major roads including the Tri-State Tollway and I-290, with a good portion of the route on local roads. Expect a fuel cost of around $4 for this journey. Given its short distance and relatively quick travel time, it’s ideal for a single-day excursion without the need for an overnight stay. This route stays within the Midwest region and Illinois, offering a straightforward drive through familiar territory.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 28.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m 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
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent turns and transitions between different road types. While 27% of the journey utilizes highways, the majority involves navigating local streets. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 11.9 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, offering a brief period of higher-speed travel before you re-enter more complex urban and suburban road networks. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience with varying speed limits and traffic patterns throughout the 42-minute duration.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IL 83 / North Elmhurst Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 28.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IL 83 / North Elmhurst Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 83 / North Elmhurst Road
Turn right onto IL 83 / North Elmhurst Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
18 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 31B
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
26.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23B
Toward Central Avenue
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 Prospect Heights, IL to Cicero, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Indiana
17 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 294
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 11.9 mi | 15m |
| I 290 | 7.8 mi | 10m |
| Rand Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| South Laramie Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Rand Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Elmhurst Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Roosevelt Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Central Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 11.9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Prospect Heights, IL and Cicero, IL.
1
Start on West Camp McDonald Road
217 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Camp McDonald Road
2
Turn right onto IL 83
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Elmhurst Road
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto US 12
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Rand Road
4
Continue on US 12
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Rand Road
5
Continue on North Northwest Highway
518 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Northwest Highway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
7
Merge onto I 294
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto I 294
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 31B
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 290
7.8 mi
·
10 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 23B
Toward Central Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto South Central Avenue
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Central Avenue
13
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Road
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
West Roosevelt Road
14
Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Laramie Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
South Laramie Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.49 one way
$8.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.93 | $9.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.52 | $11.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.34 | $12.67 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.72
Tri-state Tollway
(11.9 mi)
$0.72
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Cicero, IL
Morning in Cicero on Friday
Local time
8:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
1 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
42m 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 Prospect Heights, IL to Cicero, IL covers 28.7 miles and takes about 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, I 290, Rand Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.3 miles from Prospect Heights, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.49 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 is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 28.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IL 83 / North Elmhurst Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Prospect Heights, IL to Cicero, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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