Origin
Summit, IL
Evening in Summit on Thursday
Local time
8:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Summit, IL to Elgin, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
56m
Distance
34.6 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Summit, IL
Rodrigo Contreras Elvira
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Summit, IL to Elgin, IL covers 34.6 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lake Street, 1st Avenue, US 20 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.7 miles on Lake Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 34.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Summit, IL to Elgin, IL covers 34.6 miles and takes about 56m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lake Street is the longest continuous segment at about 6.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near IL 171 / 1st Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 34.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IL 171 / 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 171 / 1st Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto IL 171 / 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge onto I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford,...
8
14.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 20
Take the exit onto US 20 toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, York Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 12
Toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, Yor...
7
14.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20 toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Summit, IL to Elgin, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Milwaukee along the way.
Milwaukee
10.5 mi in
|
~18m
|
via I 290
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Street | 6.7 mi | 11m |
| 1st Avenue | 6.6 mi | 12m |
| US 20 | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| I 290 | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lake Street
— 6.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Summit, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on IL 171
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Archer Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto IL 171
6.6 mi
·
12 min
·
1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto Harrison Street
354 ft
·
9 sec
·
Harrison Street
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 290 West
5
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 20
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 20
Exit 12
Toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, York Road
Use the right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
US 20
Toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 20
5.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
10
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
11
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
12
Continue on US 20
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
13
Turn slight left onto Villa Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Villa Street
Toward Villa Street
Use the slight left lane.
14
Turn left
311 ft
·
28 sec
15
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
16
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.3 mi from Summit, IL · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.3 miles from Summit, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Elgin, 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
$5.41 one way
$10.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.94 | $11.88 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.66 | $13.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.64 | $15.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Elgin, IL
Evening in Elgin on Thursday
Local time
8:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
17 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
56m 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 Summit, IL to Elgin, IL covers 34.6 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lake Street, 1st Avenue, US 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.3 miles from Summit, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.41 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 short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 34.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IL 171 / 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Summit, IL to Elgin, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Milwaukee along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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