The drive from Springfield, IL to Blue Ridge, IL covers 91.3 miles and takes about 1h 51m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 72, I 74, County Road 300 E for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 72.6 miles on I 72.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.27 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.
Midpoint
45.7 miles from Springfield, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 51m. Total distance: 91.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 1h 51m highway drive covering 91.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 72 and I 74. The longest continuous stretch is about 72.6 miles on I 72.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 72 is the longest continuous segment at about 72.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and I 74. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Washington Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 51m 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 (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (North 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 75.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Washington Street
Depart onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|North 12th Street
Turn left onto North 12th Street
Navigation decision point
5
75.6 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward IL 47: Mahomet
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 176
Toward IL 47: Mahomet
5
75.9 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|IL 47 / County Road 300 E
Turn left onto IL 47 / County Road 300 E
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
87.3 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward Mansfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 166
Toward Mansfield
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 72
72.6 mi
1h 17m
I 74
5.1 mi
5m
County Road 300 E
4.1 mi
5m
North 1300 East Road
3 mi
7m
Clear Lake Avenue
2.5 mi
4m
South Division Street
0.9 mi
1m
East 3300 North Road
0.5 mi
1m
South Lombard Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 72
— 72.6 mi, about 1h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Blue Ridge, IL.
1
Start on East Washington Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·East Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left onto North 12th Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·North 12th Street
3
Turn straight onto IL 97
2.5 mi·4 min·Clear Lake Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on I 72; US 36
36 mi·39 min·I 72; US 36
5
Continue on I 72; US 51
36 mi·38 min·I 72; US 51
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Exit 176Toward IL 47: Mahomet
7
Turn left onto IL 47
4.1 mi·5 min·County Road 300 E
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on IL 47
0.9 mi·1 min·South Division Street
9
Turn right onto US 150; IL 47
0.4 mi·50 sec·East Oak Street
10
Turn left onto IL 47
0.5 mi·1 min·South Lombard Street
11
Continue on IL 47
483 ft·12 sec·County Road 400 East
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 74 West: Bloomington
13
Merge onto I 74
5.1 mi·5 min·I 74
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
Exit 166Toward Mansfield
15
Turn right
0.1 mi·18 sec
16
Turn straight onto North 1300 East Road
3.0 mi·7 min·North 1300 East Road
17
Turn right onto East 3300 North Road
0.5 mi·1 min·East 3300 North Road
18
Turn left
454 ft·33 sec
19
Arrive at 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 45.7 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.6 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.7 miles or 52m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Blue Ridge, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Springfield, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Springfield, IL
This is one driving day of about 91.3 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Springfield, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 72 for about 72.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 45.7 mi from Springfield, IL
· 52m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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...
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.4
0
$9.59
$4.38
Efficient EV
22.8
0
$7.99
$3.65
EV Truck/SUV
36.5
0
$12.78
$5.84
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Springfield, IL
Morning
in Springfield on Friday
Local time
9:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Blue Ridge, IL
Morning
in Blue Ridge on Friday
Local time
9:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Forsyth, IL
46 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
26 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 51m 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 Springfield, IL to Blue Ridge, IL covers 91.3 miles and takes about 1h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 72, I 74, County Road 300 E. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 45.7 miles from Springfield, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.27 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 straightforward 1h 51m 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 (East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (North 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 75.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Springfield, IL to Blue Ridge, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
