Origin
Chicago Ridge, IL
Late night in Chicago Ridge on Saturday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chicago Ridge, IL to Chicago, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago Ridge, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Chicago Ridge, IL to Chicago, IL is 15.6 miles and takes about 27 minutes via South Cicero Avenue, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, local drive entirely within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. Given its brief duration, it's a straightforward trip perfect for a single day, or even just a few hours. You'll navigate through familiar suburban and urban landscapes, making it a practical route for local errands or connecting within the greater Chicago area.
About the Cities
Arriving in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
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 27m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent turns rather than settling into long stretches of highway. Only 18% of this journey involves highway driving, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 6.5 miles on South Cicero Avenue. Expect to navigate a mix of local roads and some expressway segments. The drive will feel more like a typical urban or suburban commute, with traffic lights and intersections playing a significant role in your progress.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Cicero Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 6.5 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 0.6 miles in near Southwest Highway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Southwest Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 55 / Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Southwest Highway
Turn right onto Southwest Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 55 / Stevenson Expressway
Merge onto I 55 / Stevenson Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
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 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
12.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
9
13.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Cicero Avenue | 6.5 mi | 10m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Southwest Highway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West 93rd Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Damen Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Ridgeland Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Blue Island Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
South Cicero Avenue
— 6.5 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago Ridge, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on South Ridgeland Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ridgeland Avenue
2
Turn right onto Southwest Highway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Highway
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on West 93rd Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West 93rd Street
4
Turn left onto IL 50
6.5 mi
·
10 min
·
South Cicero Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
6
Merge onto I 55
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
440 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Damen Avenue
11
Turn right onto South Blue Island Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Blue Island Avenue
12
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Cermak Road
13
Turn right
152 ft
·
11 sec
14
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.44 one way
$4.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.68 | $5.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.00 | $6.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Chicago, IL
Late night in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
5:41 AM
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
27m 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 Chicago Ridge, IL to Chicago, IL covers 15.6 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Cicero Avenue, Stevenson Expressway, Southwest Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.8 miles from Chicago Ridge, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.44 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 10 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Southwest Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 55 / Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Chicago Ridge, IL to Chicago, 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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