Origin
Westmont, IL
Morning in Westmont on Saturday
Local time
6:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westmont, IL to Evanston, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
29.2 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westmont, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Westmont, IL, to Evanston, IL? This drive covers 29.4 miles and is estimated to take about 47 minutes, making it a straightforward day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, as this route has a 0% highway share. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $4. Given its short duration and local road focus, this trip is best suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. It's a convenient connection within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois.
About the Cities
Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route. With no highway sections, you'll be navigating through various surface streets and avenues for the entire 29.4 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the 'turn-heavy' profile suggests frequent intersections and changes in direction. This kind of driving requires your attention to local traffic patterns and navigation, offering a grounded feel of moving through communities rather than a high-speed transit.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rock...
6
7.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International A...
7
17.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
8
18 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
7
29.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Westmont, IL and Evanston, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue East.
Rockford
6.6 mi in
|
~11m
Milwaukee
7.2 mi in
|
~12m
Touhy Avenue East
18 mi in
|
~27m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 9.9 mi | 13m |
| Oakton Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| East Touhy Avenue | 3 mi | 5m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| North Cass Avenue | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| West Howard Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Midwest Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 9.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westmont, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on West Burlington Avenue
78 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Burlington Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Cass Avenue
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North Cass Avenue
3
Continue on Midwest Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Midwest Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
5
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
8
Merge onto I 294
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 42A
Toward Touhy Avenue East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Touhy Avenue
13
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto West Howard Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Howard Street
15
Turn left onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
16
Continue on Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Gross Point Road
17
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
18
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
20
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.57 one way
$9.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.62 | $11.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.45 | $12.89 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.77
Tri-state Tollway
(9.9 mi)
$0.60
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(2.8 mi)
$0.17
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Saturday
Local time
6:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
49m 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 Westmont, IL to Evanston, IL covers 29.2 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Oakton Street, East Touhy Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.6 miles from Westmont, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.57 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 16 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Westmont, IL and Evanston, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue East.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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