Origin
Woodlawn, IL
Night in Woodlawn on Thursday
Local time
9:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Woodlawn, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
45m
Distance
27.7 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Woodlawn, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Woodlawn, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 27.7 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kennedy Expressway, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), North Caldwell Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.2 miles on Kennedy Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 27.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 45m highway drive covering 27.7 miles, with most of the trip on Kennedy Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). The longest continuous stretch is about 8.2 miles on Kennedy Expressway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kennedy Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Kennedy Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 64th Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 27.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 64th Street
Turn left onto East 64th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South University Avenue
Turn left onto South University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: 22nd Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: 22nd Street
7
19.3 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41A
Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East 63rd Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 8.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Woodlawn, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on South Greenwood Avenue
65 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Greenwood Avenue
2
Turn left onto East 64th Street
524 ft
·
30 sec
·
East 64th Street
3
Turn left onto South University Avenue
431 ft
·
26 sec
·
South University Avenue
4
Turn left onto East 63rd Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East 63rd Street
5
Turn right onto South Wentworth Avenue
154 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Wentworth Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
Merge onto I 90; I 94
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: 22nd Street
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 90; I 94
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 94
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 41A
Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn slight right onto US 14
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
14
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn slight right onto Busse Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Busse Highway
16
Turn slight left onto Oakton Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Oakton Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
18
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.33 one way
$8.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.75 | $9.51 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.33 | $10.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.12 | $12.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 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 | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.88 | $1.77 |
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
Des Plaines, IL
Night in Des Plaines on Thursday
Local time
9:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
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
45m 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 Woodlawn, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 27.7 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kennedy Expressway, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), North Caldwell Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.8 miles from Woodlawn, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.33 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 14 decision points packed into just 27.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Woodlawn, IL to Des Plaines, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Des Plaines, IL
More trips to Des Plaines, IL
Explore more options from Woodlawn, IL or browse trips ending in Des Plaines, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.
Explore maps for Woodlawn, IL or Des Plaines, IL on MapSof.net.