Origin
River Forest, IL
Evening in River Forest on Tuesday
Local time
8:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
2h 29m
Distance
147.1 mi
237 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 19m
★
6 AM
2h 29m
8 AM
2h 50m
10 AM
2h 36m
12 PM
2h 34m
3 PM
2h 37m
5 PM
2h 49m
8 PM
2h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
River Forest, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 147.1-mile journey from River Forest, IL, to Champaign, IL, is a straightforward, one-day trip taking approximately 2 hours and 29 minutes. You'll navigate primarily via local roads and the Eisenhower Expressway, with a 0% highway share, suggesting a more involved driving experience. The estimated fuel cost for this Midwest to Midwest, Illinois-to-Illinois route is around $22. Given its manageable length and duration, this drive is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times. It offers a practical way to travel between these two Illinois locations without the stress of a multi-day commitment.
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
73.6 miles from River Forest, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 147.1-mile trip. With a 0% highway share, you won't encounter long stretches of high-speed interstate travel. Instead, your route will involve navigating through communities using roads like North Harlem Avenue and I-290 East. The absence of a significant longest uninterrupted stretch indicates frequent intersections and potential traffic lights. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be actively engaged with the road, making it feel more like an urban or suburban transit than an open highway cruise.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Harlem Avenue 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 River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL is easy. At 2h 29m 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 River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Harlem Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 290 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Eisenhower Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| IL 50 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Lexington Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Cicero Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cicero Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 167th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Harlem Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between River Forest, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on Augusta Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Augusta Street
2
Turn right onto North Harlem Avenue
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
North Harlem Avenue
3
Turn left onto I 290 East
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 290 East
4
Merge slight right onto Eisenhower Expressway
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
5
Take the exit slight right toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
IL 50: Cicero Avenue
6
Turn straight onto West Lexington Street
302 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Lexington Street
7
Turn right onto South Cicero Avenue
13 mi
·
21 min
·
South Cicero Avenue
8
Continue on Cicero Avenue
6.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Cicero Avenue
9
Turn left onto 167th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
167th Street
10
Take the ramp slight right toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
11
Merge slight left
105 mi
·
1 hr 54 min
12
Take the exit slight right toward Market Street
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Market Street
13
Turn left
95 ft
·
5 sec
14
Turn left onto Market Street
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Market Street
15
Turn right onto East Bradley Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Bradley Avenue
16
Turn left onto North Neil Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Neil Street
17
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Plan for a 2 hour and 29-minute drive covering 147.1 miles, with an estimated fuel cost of $22. Since this is a comfortable one-day trip, you have the flexibility to leave when you're ready. Given the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, be prepared for frequent changes in direction and potentially navigating through town centers, so keeping your navigation active is key. While there are no specified stops, consider taking a short break around the halfway point to stretch your legs, especially as you'll be making more frequent adjustments than on a highway. A good tip for this route is to check local traffic conditions on North Harlem Avenue and I-290 East before you depart, as these main arteries can experience congestion.
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 73.6 miles from River Forest, IL, or about 1h 14m 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 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73.6 miles or 1h 14m 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 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Champaign, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving River Forest, 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 River Forest, IL
This is one driving day of about 147.1 miles and 2h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from River Forest, 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 73.6 mi from River Forest, IL · 1h 14m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
74 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 73.6 miles from River Forest, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Champaign, IL
The final approach into Champaign, 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 Champaign, 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
$23.00 one way
$45.99 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
52 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $25.25 | $50.50 |
| premium | $4.89 | $28.31 | $56.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $32.48 | $64.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.5 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 | 44.1 | 0 | $15.45 | $7.06 |
| Efficient EV | 36.8 | 0 | $12.87 | $5.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 58.8 | 0 | $20.59 | $9.41 |
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Champaign, IL
Evening in Champaign on Tuesday
Local time
8:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°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
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 29m 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 River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL covers 147.1 miles and takes about 2h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Harlem Avenue, I 290 East, Eisenhower Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 73.6 miles from River Forest, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.00 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 River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL is easy. At 2h 29m 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 River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from River Forest, IL to Champaign, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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