How far is Franklin Corners, IL from Sterling, IL?

The driving distance from Franklin Corners, IL to Sterling, IL is about 18.5 miles (29.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.2 miles (22.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 54m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
18.47 mi
00h 27m
Flight
14.15 mi
22.78 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Franklin Corners.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.15 mi
Kilometers
22.78 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.47 mi
Kilometers
29.73 km
Drive Time
00h 27m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sterling
Thu, Apr 23, 12:04 PM CDT
Return by in Franklin Corners
Thu, Apr 23, 12:31 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Franklin Corners
2026-04-23T11:37
Arrive Sterling
Thu, Apr 23, 12:04 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:27 AM to 7:27 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:36 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Franklin Corners
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Coleta
IL

Town

From Franklin Corners
9.3 mi
00h 13m
To Sterling
9.3 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 20 mph S
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Franklin Corners and Sterling.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Franklin Corners and Sterling.

  1. 1

    Start on Covell Road

    70 m · 12 sec · Covell Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Lyndon Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Lyndon Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Pilgrim Road

    5.3 mi · 7 min · Pilgrim Road

  4. 4

    Continue on West Grove Street

    2666 ft · 1 min · West Grove Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Pilgrim Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Pilgrim Road

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Pilgrim Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Pilgrim Road

  7. 7

    Turn straight onto Hickory Hills Road

    5.8 mi · 9 min · Hickory Hills Road

  8. 8

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward North Locust Street

    44 m · 2 sec · North Locust Street

  9. 9

    Exit the roundabout onto North Locust Street

    2.4 mi · 4 min · North Locust Street

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Locust Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Franklin Corners and Sterling.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
10 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
0 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
54.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Pilgrim Road
8.99 mi · 49%
Hickory Hills Road
5.76 mi · 31%
North Locust Street
2.43 mi · 13%
Lyndon Road
0.75 mi · 4%
West Grove Street
0.51 mi · 3%
Covell Road
0.04 mi
Longest Stretch

Hickory Hills Road

Turn straight onto Hickory Hills Road

5.76 mi · 00h 09m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 27m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.3 mi
14.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Coleta
00h 13m from Franklin Corners
Leave By
7:36 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Franklin Corners and Mostly Sunny near Sterling.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Franklin Corners to Sterling?

The road trip is about 18.5 miles (29.7 km) and usually takes 00h 27m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Coleta is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.3 miles from Franklin Corners and 9.3 miles from Sterling.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 14.2 miles (22.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:36 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.45 one way or $4.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Franklin Corners and Mostly Sunny near Sterling.

Stop Ideas Near Coleta

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Coleta, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Coleta.

RAIL

Princeton

64 mi away
107 Bicentennial Dr.
RAIL

Mendota station

69 mi away
783 Main Street
RAIL

Kewanee

74 mi away
Loomis and North Tremont Sts.
BUS

Rock Island, IL

76 mi away
3500 5th Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Franklin Corners and Sterling. Straight-line distance: 14.15 mi (22.78 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Franklin Corners

Franklin Corners is a place in Illinois, United States.

Population0
Coordinates41.9169700, -89.9106700
Altitude241
CountryUnited States
Sterling

#2 Sterling

City in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States

Population14,313
Coordinates41.7886400, -89.6962200
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Start: Covell Road (-89.910669, 41.916931)
End: Locust Street (-89.696335, 41.788609)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.65 gal
2.47 L · about $2.45
Round trip
$4.90
1.3 gal · 4.94 L
Estimated CO2
5.8 kg one way
Round trip: 11.6 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.45 $4.90
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.76 $5.53
Premium $4.65 $3.03 $6.05
Diesel $5.30 $3.45 $6.90

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Franklin Corners and Sterling. The current time is 11:37:05.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.