The drive from Wheaton, IL to Lawrence, IL covers 59.8 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, South State Street, East Grant Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.6 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
29.9 miles from Wheaton, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 59.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 30m drive with frequent turns across 59.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.6 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 7.9 miles in near US 20 / Lake Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.8 miles you will encounter 19 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 7.9 miles (US 20 / Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
7.9 mi into trip|~17m in|US 20 / Lake Street
Turn left onto US 20 / Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
13.1 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward IL 59: Barrington, West Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 59: Barrington, West Chicago
6
17.4 mi into trip|~32m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
5
17.7 mi into trip|~32m in|I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
35.3 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward US 20: Hampshire, Marengo
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 42
Toward US 20: Hampshire, Marengo
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Wheaton, IL and Lawrence, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Marengo.
Chicago
13.1 mi in|~24m
Marengo
35.3 mi in|~51m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
17.6 mi
18m
South State Street
10.6 mi
16m
East Grant Highway
8.4 mi
11m
North Gary Avenue
7 mi
15m
West Lake Street
3.4 mi
4m
New Sutton Road
2.6 mi
4m
Lake Street
1.9 mi
2m
Lawrence Road
1.8 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 17.6 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wheaton, IL and Lawrence, IL.
1
Start on West Wesley Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·West Wesley Street
2
Turn right onto North West Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North West Street
3
Turn left onto West Harrison Avenue
0.2 mi·25 sec·West Harrison Avenue
4
Continue on North Gary Avenue
2.2 mi·4 min·North Gary Avenue
5
Continue on North Gary Avenue
4.7 mi·10 min·North Gary Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto US 20
1.0 mi·1 min·Lake Street
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi·1 min·Lake Street
8
Continue on US 20
3.4 mi·4 min·West Lake Street
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward IL 59: Barrington, West Chicago
10
Turn left onto IL 59
1.5 mi·2 min·South Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on IL 59
2.6 mi·4 min·New Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll: RockfordUse the right lane.
13
Merge onto I 90
18 mi·18 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 42Toward US 20: Hampshire, MarengoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 20
0.5 mi·53 sec·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
16
Continue on US 20
0.7 mi·55 sec·East Grant Highway
17
Enter roundabout onto US 20
90 ft·1 sec·East Grant Highway
18
Continue on US 20
3.3 mi·4 min·East Grant Highway
19
Enter roundabout onto US 20
198 ft·3 sec·East Grant Highway
20
Continue on US 20
4.4 mi·6 min·East Grant Highway
21
Turn right onto IL 23
11 mi·16 min·South State Street
22
At end of road, turn left onto US 14
1.1 mi·1 min·South Division Street
23
Turn left onto IL 173
1.2 mi·1 min·West Brink Street
24
Turn right onto T50
0.5 mi·1 min·Lawrence Road
25
Turn left onto T50
0.2 mi·27 sec·Ramer Road
26
Keep slight right at fork onto T50
1.3 mi·3 min·Lawrence Road
27
Turn right onto T50
0.2 mi·33 sec·Oak Grove Road
28
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
29
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 29.9 miles from Wheaton, IL, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.6 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 13 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 29.9 miles or 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lawrence, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wheaton, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Wheaton, IL
This is one driving day of about 59.8 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 13 miles from Wheaton, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway for about 17.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.9 mi from Wheaton, IL
· 45m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.35 one way
$18.70 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$10.26
$20.53
premium
$4.89
$11.51
$23.02
diesel
$5.61
$13.20
$26.41
Estimated Tolls: $1.23
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(17.6 mi)$1.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
17.9
0
$6.28
$2.87
Efficient EV
15
0
$5.23
$2.39
EV Truck/SUV
23.9
0
$8.37
$3.83
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Wheaton, IL
Late night
in Wheaton on Friday
Local time
3:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lawrence, IL
Late night
in Lawrence on Friday
Local time
3:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
23 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 30m 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 Wheaton, IL to Lawrence, IL covers 59.8 miles and takes about 1h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, South State Street, East Grant Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.9 miles from Wheaton, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.35 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 59.8 miles you will encounter 19 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 7.9 miles (US 20 / Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Between Wheaton, IL and Lawrence, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Marengo.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
