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Trip from West Frankfort, IL to Markham, IL

Drive Time

5h 9m

Distance

284.5 mi

458 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$43

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

26 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
4h 56m ★
6 AM
5h 10m
8 AM
5h 37m
10 AM
5h 19m
12 PM
5h 17m
3 PM
5h 21m
5 PM
5h 35m
8 PM
5h 2m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Markham, IL, IL

Markham, IL

Stéphane Tendon

Trip Overview

The drive from West Frankfort, IL to Markham, IL covers 284.5 miles and takes about 5h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, I 80 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 181.3 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.21 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

142.3 miles from West Frankfort, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 34m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 5h 9m highway drive covering 284.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 181.3 miles on I 57.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 181.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 284.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.7 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 32 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 99.5 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

4
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in

Enter roundabout

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
32 mi into trip | ~35m in | I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway toward I 57 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 57 North: Chicago
7
99.5 mi into trip | ~1h 48m in | I 57

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 57 North: Chicago
7
280.8 mi into trip | ~5h 3m in

Take the exit toward I 80 East: Indiana

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 345A Toward I 80 East: Indiana
7
283.5 mi into trip | ~5h 7m in

Take the exit toward Kedzie Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 154 Toward Kedzie Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 57 181.3 mi 3h 15m
Ken Gray Expressway 98.4 mi 1h 46m
I 80 2.2 mi 3m
Kedzie Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
West Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
163rd Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 57 — 181.3 mi, about 3h 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between West Frankfort, IL and Markham, IL.

1

Start on IL 149

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
2

Enter roundabout

20 ft · 0 sec
3

Continue

0.3 mi · 41 sec
4

Merge onto I 57

31 mi · 33 min · Ken Gray Expressway
5

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

67 mi · 1 hr 12 min · Ken Gray Expressway
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57

181 mi · 3 hr 15 min · I 57
Toward I 57 North: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 50 sec
Exit 345A Toward I 80 East: Indiana Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 80

2.2 mi · 3 min · I 80
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Exit 154 Toward Kedzie Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · Kedzie Avenue
11

Turn left onto 163rd Street

64 ft · 2 sec · 163rd Street
12

Arrive at destination

163rd Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 142.3 miles from West Frankfort, IL, or about 2h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 181.3 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 80 miles or 1h 27m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 142.3 miles or 2h 34m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Markham, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving West Frankfort, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from West Frankfort, IL

This is one driving day of about 284.5 miles and 5h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from West Frankfort, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 181.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 142.3 mi from West Frankfort, IL · 2h 34m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Champaign, IL

142 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

Plainfield, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Champaign, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 142.3 miles from West Frankfort, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 181.3 miles.

Arriving in Markham, IL

The final approach into Markham, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Markham, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

8 mi from route ~21 min detour Free near mile 284.5
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$43.21 one way

$86.43 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 100 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $47.64 $95.27
premium $4.80 $53.71 $107.42
diesel $5.64 $63.21 $126.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$43

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$68–$93

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 99.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

EV Charging Along Route

26 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Subway - Tesla Supercharger

Salem, IL

Tesla

12 DCFC

Holiday Inn - Tesla Supercharger

Effingham, IL

Tesla

12 DCFC

County Market - Tesla Supercharger

Champaign, IL

Tesla

12 DCFC

Mach 1 - Tesla Supercharger

Mt. Vernon, IL

Tesla

8 DCFC

Holiday Inn Mt. Vernon - Tesla Supercharger

Mt. Vernon, IL

Tesla

8 DCFC

Meijer - Tesla Supercharger

Champaign, IL

Tesla

8 DCFC

Jack Flash - Effingham - Tesla Supercharger

Effingham, IL

Tesla

6 DCFC

Meijer 146 (Champaign, IL)

Champaign, IL

Electrify America

6 DCFC

Tesla: 7 ChargePoint Network: 5 Electrify America: 3 CIRCLE_K: 2 UNIVERSAL: 2 RED_E: 2 Blink Network: 2 eVgo Network: 1 Non-Networked: 1 FORD_CHARGE: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 85.4 1 $29.87 $13.66
Efficient EV 71.1 0 $24.89 $11.38
EV Truck/SUV 113.8 1 $39.83 $18.21

Gas CO2

100 kg

EV CO2

33 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 data refreshed 3 hours ago

Origin

West Frankfort, IL

Morning in West Frankfort on Monday

Local time

9:50 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Markham, IL

Morning in Markham on Monday

Local time

9:50 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 15 mph 38% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:52PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:52PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

1 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

5h 9m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from West Frankfort, IL to Markham, IL covers 284.5 miles and takes about 5h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, I 80. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 142.3 miles from West Frankfort, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.21 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 284.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.7 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 32 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 99.5 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from West Frankfort, IL to Markham, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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