Origin
Springfield, IL
Night in Springfield on Thursday
Local time
10:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Springfield, IL to South Jacksonville, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
48m
Distance
37.5 mi
60 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Springfield, IL
Wikimedia Commons
South Jacksonville, IL
Mike Jones
Trip Overview
The drive from Springfield, IL to South Jacksonville, IL covers 37.5 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 72, South 11th Street, East Morton Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.1 miles on I 72. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 37.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 48m highway drive covering 37.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 72 and South 11th Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 28.1 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 15 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 28.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 72 and South 11th Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South 11th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 37.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South 11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 32.9 miles (I 72 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese 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.
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 72 West: Jacksonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 72 West: Jacksonville
4
32.9 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 72 Business
Take the exit onto I 72 Business toward I 72 Business West: Jacksonville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 72 Business West: Jacksonville
5
33.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 72 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 72 Business toward I 72 Business West: Jacksonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 72 Business West: Jacksonville
4
37.5 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
East Vandalia Road
Turn left onto East Vandalia Road
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 72 | 28.1 mi | 30m |
| South 11th Street | 3 mi | 6m |
| East Morton Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| South Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| I 55 Business | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Old Route 36 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| I 72 Business | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Stevenson Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 72
— 28.1 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and South Jacksonville, 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 right at fork
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 72 West: Jacksonville
8
Merge onto I 72; US 36
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 72; US 36
9
Take the exit onto I 72 Business
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 72 Business
Toward I 72 Business West: Jacksonville
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 72 Business
431 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 72 Business
Toward I 72 Business West: Jacksonville
11
Turn right onto I 72 Business
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Old Route 36
12
Continue on I 72 Business
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East Morton Avenue
13
Turn left onto IL 267
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
14
Turn left onto East Vandalia Road
298 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Vandalia Road
15
Arrive at destination
East Vandalia Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.8 mi from Springfield, IL · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.8 miles from Springfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in South Jacksonville, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into South Jacksonville, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.86 one way
$11.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.44 | $12.87 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.22 | $14.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.28 | $16.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.94 | $1.80 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
South Jacksonville, IL
Night in South Jacksonville on Thursday
Local time
10:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
78°F
Jerome, IL
19 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
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
48m 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 South Jacksonville, IL covers 37.5 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 72, South 11th Street, East Morton Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.8 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 $5.86 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 37.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South 11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 32.9 miles (I 72 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Springfield, IL to South Jacksonville, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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Return Trip
South Jacksonville, IL to Springfield, ILPlan the drive back the other way.
35.4 mi
49m
Continue From South Jacksonville, IL
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