Origin
Woodlawn, IL
Evening in Woodlawn on Friday
Local time
5:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Woodlawn, IL to Elgin, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
48.5 mi
78 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Woodlawn, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Woodlawn, IL to Elgin, IL is 48.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically connecting two points in Illinois. Expect a mixed drive that combines expressway travel with tollway segments. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times. It's a straightforward journey that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
About the Cities
Arriving in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
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 1h 12m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized by its significant highway share, with 30% of the journey taking place on major expressways. You'll navigate through segments of the Kennedy Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway before transitioning to the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 20.6 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a period of consistent driving. The profile is a mixed drive, meaning you'll experience both the faster pace of expressways and potentially some local road transitions as you approach your destination. It’s not an overly complex route, but be prepared for varying speed limits and traffic conditions.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 27 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 20.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 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: near the start (East 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 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
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
16.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Montrose Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 43C
Toward Montrose Avenue
7
45.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward IL 25
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 20.6 mi | 22m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| West Higgins Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Dundee Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West Bryn Mawr Avenue | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| East 63rd Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 20.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Woodlawn, IL and Elgin, 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
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 43C
Toward Montrose Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto West Montrose Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Montrose Avenue
13
Turn right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
14
Turn left onto North Northwest Highway
67 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Northwest Highway
15
Continue on North Northwest Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Northwest Highway
16
Turn slight left onto West Bryn Mawr Avenue
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on IL 72
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
West Higgins Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 90 Toll West
19
Merge onto I 90
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
504 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
Use the slight right lane.
21
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
22
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
this road
23
Turn left onto IL 25
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Dundee Avenue
Use the left lane.
24
Continue on Center Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Center Street
25
Turn right
311 ft
·
28 sec
26
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
27
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.3 mi from Woodlawn, IL · 42m 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Woodlawn, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
The final approach into Elgin, 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
$7.58 one way
$15.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.33 | $16.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.33 | $18.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.71 | $21.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.44
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(20.6 mi)
$1.44
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 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 | 14.5 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.10 |
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
Elgin, IL
Evening in Elgin on Friday
Local time
5:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 10 mph
34% chance
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
7 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 12m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 Elgin, IL covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, Kennedy Expressway, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.3 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 $7.58 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 48.5 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: near the start (East 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Woodlawn, IL to Elgin, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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