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Trip from Springfield, IL to Hamel, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 18m

Distance

67.4 mi

109 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 12m ★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

capital city of Illinois and county seat of Sangamon County

Springfield, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Hamel, IL, IL

Hamel, IL

Mike Tyurin

Trip Overview

The drive from Springfield, IL to Hamel, IL covers 67.4 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 55 Business, South 11th Street, East Stevenson Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.3 miles on I 55 Business. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.54 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 67.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 18m highway drive covering 67.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 Business and South 11th Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 63.3 miles on I 55 Business.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 Business is the longest continuous segment at about 63.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 Business and South 11th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South 11th Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 18m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South 11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (East Stevenson Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | South 11th Street

Turn right onto South 11th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
3
3.2 mi into trip | ~7m in | East Stevenson Drive

Turn straight onto East Stevenson Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
4.4 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 55 Business

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
4.6 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 55 Business

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
5
66.8 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Take the exit toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 55 Business 63.3 mi 1h 8m
South 11th Street 3 mi 6m
East Stevenson Drive 0.4 mi <1m
East State Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Washington Street 0.2 mi <1m
West State Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: I 55 Business — 63.3 mi, about 1h 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Hamel, IL.

1

Start on East Washington Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · East Washington Street
2

Turn right onto South 11th Street

3.0 mi · 6 min · South 11th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Turn slight right

411 ft · 20 sec
4

Turn straight onto East Stevenson Drive

0.4 mi · 48 sec · East Stevenson Drive
Use the straight lane.
5

Turn slight left onto I 55 Business

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 55 Business
6

Take the ramp onto I 55 Business

354 ft · 6 sec · I 55 Business
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business

0.2 mi · 23 sec · I 55 Business
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 Business

62 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 55 Business
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
10

Turn right onto IL 140

0.3 mi · 34 sec · East State Street
11

Arrive at destination

IL 140

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 33.7 mi from Springfield, IL · 41m into the drive

Downtown Chatham, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chatham, IL

34 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

Chatham, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Litchfield, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.7 miles from Springfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 55 Business if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.3 miles.

Arriving in Hamel, IL

The final approach into Hamel, 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

$10.54 one way

$21.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $11.57 $23.14
premium $4.89 $12.97 $25.94
diesel $5.61 $14.88 $29.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.2 0 $7.08 $3.24
Efficient EV 16.9 0 $5.90 $2.70
EV Truck/SUV 27 0 $9.44 $4.31

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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

Springfield, IL

Afternoon in Springfield on Thursday

Local time

3:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hamel, IL

Afternoon in Hamel on Thursday

Local time

3:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

54°F

Chatham, IL

34 mi in

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 18m 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 Hamel, IL covers 67.4 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55 Business, South 11th Street, East Stevenson Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.7 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 $10.54 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 18m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South 11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (East Stevenson Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 55 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Springfield, IL to Hamel, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument.

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