Origin
Washburn, IL
Morning in Washburn on Friday
Local time
9:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washburn, IL to Bloomington, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
47.2 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washburn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Washburn to Bloomington is 47.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 9 minutes via I 74, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on the interstate, making it a convenient option for a quick transit. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a single-day excursion with no need for an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 47.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 65% of the route utilizing interstate or major highways like I 74. You'll experience a significant stretch of 17.8 miles on I 74 without interruption. The journey transitions between interstate cruising and county and state routes, offering a mix of faster travel and more local road experiences. Expect a profile that leans heavily towards efficient, high-speed travel for most of its length.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 74 is the longest continuous segment at about 17.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and County Road 1400 East. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 10 miles in near IL 116 / East Mount Vernon 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 9m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10 miles (IL 116 / East Mount Vernon Street): Navigation decision point; at 40.9 miles (I 74): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
10 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
IL 116 / East Mount Vernon Street
Turn left onto IL 116 / East Mount Vernon Street
Navigation decision point
6
40.9 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
I 74
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74 toward I 55 South, I 74 East, US 51 South: Saint Louis, Indianapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 55 South, I 74 East, US 51 South: Sain...
8
44.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward US 150, IL 9: Pekin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Exit 160
Toward US 150, IL 9: Pekin
5
45 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
US 150; IL 9 / West Market Street
Turn left onto US 150; IL 9 / West Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
47.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
US 51 Business / North East Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 51 Business / North East Street
Navigation decision point
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 Washburn, IL to Bloomington, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indianapolis along the way.
Indianapolis
40.9 mi in
|
~59m
|
via I 74
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 74 | 17.8 mi | 19m |
| County Road 1400 East | 12 mi | 19m |
| State Route 89 | 8.8 mi | 15m |
| State Route 116 | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| West Market Street | 2 mi | 5m |
| North Niles Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Mount Vernon Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Parkside Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 74
— 17.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washburn, IL and Bloomington, IL.
1
Start on IL 89
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Jefferson Street
2
Continue on IL 89
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
West Parkside Drive
3
Continue on IL 89
8.8 mi
·
15 min
·
State Route 89
4
Continue on IL 89
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Niles Street
5
Turn left onto IL 116
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mount Vernon Street
6
Continue on IL 116
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
State Route 116
7
Turn right onto IL 117
12 mi
·
19 min
·
County Road 1400 East
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 74 East
9
Merge onto I 74
14 mi
·
15 min
·
I 74
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 74
Toward I 55 South, I 74 East, US 51 South: Saint Louis, Indianapolis
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 160
Toward US 150, IL 9: Pekin
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto US 150; IL 9
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West Market Street
Use the left lane.
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 51 Business
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
North East Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 51 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.6 mi from Washburn, IL · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Washburn, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bloomington, IL
The final approach into Bloomington, 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
$7.38 one way
$14.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.08 | $18.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.42 | $20.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 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 | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
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
Bloomington, IL
Morning in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
9:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Eureka, IL
24 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
21 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 9m 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 Washburn, IL to Bloomington, IL covers 47.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 74, County Road 1400 East, State Route 89. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.6 miles from Washburn, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.38 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 9m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 10 miles (IL 116 / East Mount Vernon Street): Navigation decision point; at 40.9 miles (I 74): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Washburn, IL to Bloomington, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indianapolis along the way.
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 Bloomington, IL
More trips to Bloomington, IL
Explore more options from Washburn, IL or browse trips ending in Bloomington, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.