Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Justice, IL
Wikimedia Commons
If you are looking to travel from Chicago to Justice, Illinois, you are planning a short, direct journey of 18.5 miles. Expect to spend about 30 minutes behind the wheel, making this a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stops. Your path takes you through the heart of the Midwest, utilizing a sequence of local roads rather than high-speed interstates. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. It is a practical choice for those who prefer staying off major highways, though you should prepare for a navigation-heavy experience within the urban landscape.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
This 18.5-mile journey is entirely local, meaning you will not spend any time on major highways. You should prepare for a turn-heavy drive that requires your full attention as you navigate via West Cermak Road, South Halsted Street, and South Canalport Avenue. Because the entire route consists of city streets, there are no long, uninterrupted stretches to settle into. Instead, you will experience a constant flow of urban traffic and frequent adjustments. It is a technical drive that demands a patient driver comfortable with navigating a series of turns rather than cruising at highway speeds.
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 around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.
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 12 decision points packed into just 18.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55: Saint Louis, Lake Shore Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: St Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward IL 43: Harlem Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Stevenson Expressway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| South Harlem Avenue | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Adlai E Stevenson Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 95th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Justice, IL.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
Turn slight right
Take the ramp
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 55
Continue on I 55
Continue on I 55
Take the exit
Turn left onto IL 43
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto US 12; US 20
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 294
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$2.89 one way
$5.78 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.18 | $6.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.56 | $7.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Chicago on Friday
Local time
6:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Widespread Fog
Destination
Morning in Justice on Friday
Local time
6:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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.
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