Origin
Brookfield, IL
Night in Brookfield on Thursday
Local time
11:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brookfield, IL to Joliet, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
51m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brookfield, IL
Quang Vuong
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 31.5-mile drive from Brookfield to Joliet, Illinois, is best tackled in a single day, taking around 51 minutes. You'll primarily navigate Veterans Memorial Tollway and the Adlai Stevenson Expressway, with a significant portion on local roads like Maple Road contributing to its turn-heavy character. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this route is an accessible option for a quick trip within the Midwest. Consider this a straightforward journey perfect for a day trip, offering a practical way to get from point A to point B without requiring an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this trip, with only 21% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.4 miles along the Veterans Memorial Tollway. The road's personality shifts between faster-paced highway sections and more intricate local roads, requiring your attention through frequent turns. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; it's a route where you'll be actively navigating, making it feel more engaging than a simple highway haul.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Veterans Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 10.4 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 1.3 miles in near 47th Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (47th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (South East Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
47th Street
At end of road, turn right onto 47th Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
South East Avenue
Turn left onto South East Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
13.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 355 South Toll, I 355 North Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
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 269
Toward I 355 South Toll, I 355 North Toll: Nort...
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
7
25 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Brookfield, IL to Joliet, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Southwest Suburbs along the way.
Southwest Suburbs
13.1 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 10.4 mi | 11m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Maple Road | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Joliet Road | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| Maple Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| South La Grange Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Plainfield Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South East Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 10.4 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brookfield, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on Grant Avenue
101 ft
·
6 sec
·
Grant Avenue
2
Turn right onto Maple Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Maple Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto 47th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
47th Street
4
Turn left onto South East Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South East Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto East Plainfield Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Plainfield Road
6
Turn left onto US 12; US 20; US 45
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South La Grange Road
7
Turn right onto Joliet Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Joliet Road
8
Keep slight left at fork onto Joliet Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Joliet Road
Toward I 55 South
9
Merge onto I 55
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 269
Toward I 355 South Toll, I 355 North Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto I 355
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
15
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
16
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.8 mi from Brookfield, IL · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.8 miles from Brookfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Joliet, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.92 one way
$9.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.41 | $10.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.06 | $12.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.73
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.4 mi)
$0.73
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
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Joliet, IL
Night in Joliet on Thursday
Local time
11:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Woodridge, IL
16 mi in
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
17 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
51m 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 Brookfield, IL to Joliet, IL covers 31.5 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial Tollway, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Maple Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.8 miles from Brookfield, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.92 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 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (47th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (South East Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Brookfield, IL to Joliet, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Southwest Suburbs along the way.
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