Origin
Rockford, IL
Late night in Rockford on Saturday
Local time
1:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockford, IL to Richmond, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
49.1 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, IL
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Rockford, IL to Richmond, IL covers 49.1 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Diggins Street, West Grove Street, North 2nd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.3 miles on East Diggins Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 12m drive with frequent turns across 49.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Diggins Street is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near IL 251 / North 3rd Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rockford, IL to Richmond, IL is easy. At 1h 12m with 11% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (IL 251 / North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 31 miles (US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 31.5 miles (IL 173 / East Diggins Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 251 / North 3rd Street
Turn left onto IL 251 / North 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
31 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street
Turn left onto US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street
Navigation decision point
4
31.5 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
IL 173 / East Diggins Street
Turn right onto IL 173 / East Diggins Street
Navigation decision point
4
48.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
US 12 / North Main Street
Turn right onto US 12 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
49.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
Broadway Street
Turn left onto Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Diggins Street | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| West Grove Street | 12.4 mi | 17m |
| North 2nd Street | 7.3 mi | 11m |
| State Route 173 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| West Lane Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| South Division Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West State Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North 3rd Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Diggins Street
— 17.3 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Richmond, IL.
1
Start on West State Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Street
2
Turn left onto IL 251
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
North 3rd Street
3
Continue on IL 251
7.3 mi
·
11 min
·
North 2nd Street
4
Turn right onto IL 173
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
West Lane Road
5
Continue on IL 173
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 173
6
Continue on IL 173
12 mi
·
17 min
·
West Grove Street
7
Turn left onto US 14; IL 173
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Division Street
8
Turn right onto IL 173
17 mi
·
24 min
·
East Diggins Street
9
Turn right onto US 12
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Main Street
10
Turn left onto Broadway Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
Broadway Street
11
Arrive at destination
Broadway Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.6 mi from Rockford, IL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.6 miles from Rockford, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Richmond, IL
The final approach into Richmond, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.68 one way
$15.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.43 | $16.86 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.45 | $18.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.84 | $21.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Richmond, IL
Late night in Richmond on Saturday
Local time
1:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
41°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
SW 15 to 20 mph
96% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 6:06PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 6:01PM CDT until April 17 at 6:45PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 12m 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 Rockford, IL to Richmond, IL covers 49.1 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Diggins Street, West Grove Street, North 2nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.6 miles from Rockford, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.68 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 Rockford, IL to Richmond, IL is easy. At 1h 12m with 11% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (IL 251 / North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 31 miles (US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 31.5 miles (IL 173 / East Diggins Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Rockford, IL to Richmond, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Richmond, IL
More trips to Richmond, IL
Explore more options from Rockford, IL or browse trips ending in Richmond, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.