Origin
Dale, IL
Afternoon in Dale on Saturday
Local time
12:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dale, IL to Joliet, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 42m
Distance
293.1 mi
472 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$46
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 29m
★
6 AM
5h 42m
8 AM
6h 9m
10 AM
5h 51m
12 PM
5h 49m
3 PM
5h 53m
5 PM
6h 7m
8 PM
5h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dale, IL
Zülfü Demir📸
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dale, IL to Joliet, IL covers 293.1 miles and takes about 5h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, Market Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 154.9 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.82 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
146.6 miles from Dale, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 50m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 154.9 mi | 2h 45m |
| Ken Gray Expressway | 67.5 mi | 1h 12m |
| Market Street | 15.4 mi | 22m |
| I 64 | 14.4 mi | 15m |
| US 45 | 10.1 mi | 13m |
| County Road 1165 East | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| Manhattan Road | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| West Joliet Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 154.9 mi, about 2h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dale, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on IL 142
6.8 mi
·
10 min
·
County Road 1165 East
2
Continue on IL 142
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
South Jackson Street
3
Turn left onto IL 142
15 mi
·
22 min
·
Market Street
4
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Main Street
5
Continue on North Brehm Lane
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Brehm Lane
6
Continue on County Highway 17
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
County Highway 17
7
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto I 64
14 mi
·
15 min
·
I 64
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
67 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
Ken Gray Expressway
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
155 mi
·
2 hr 45 min
·
I 57
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 318
Toward Bourbonnais Parkway
12
Turn left onto Bourbonnais Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bourbonnais Parkway
13
Turn right onto US 45; US 52
10 mi
·
13 min
·
US 45; US 52
14
Turn left onto US 52
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West Joliet Road
15
Continue on US 52
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Arsenal Road
16
Continue on US 52
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
West Joliet Road
17
Continue on US 52
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US Route 52
18
Continue on US 52
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South State Street
19
Continue on US 52
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West North Street
20
Continue on US 52
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Manhattan Road
21
Turn left onto US 52
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Manhattan Road
22
Continue on US 52
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Gardner Street
23
Turn left onto US 52
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Doris Avenue
24
Turn right onto US 52; IL 53
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Chicago Street
25
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6; IL 53
272 ft
·
12 sec
·
Chicago Street
26
Turn left onto West Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Washington Street
27
Turn right onto Joliet Street
520 ft
·
18 sec
·
Joliet Street
28
Turn right
272 ft
·
19 sec
29
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 146.6 miles from Dale, IL, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 154.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 64 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.6 miles or 2h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Joliet, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dale, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dale, IL
This is one driving day of about 293.1 miles and 5h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Dale, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 154.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
147 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 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 146.6 miles from Dale, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 154.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 7.4 and 293 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
7.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
IL 142 / Market Street
Turn left onto IL 142 / Market Street
Navigation decision point
5
40.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
5
108.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 9m in
|
I 57
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
5
263.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 55m in
Take the exit toward Bourbonnais Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 318
Toward Bourbonnais Parkway
5
293 mi into trip
|
~5h 41m in
|
Joliet Street
Turn right onto Joliet Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.82 one way
$91.65 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
103 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $50.31 | $100.62 |
| premium | $4.89 | $56.40 | $112.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $64.71 | $129.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 87.9 | 1 | $30.78 | $14.07 |
| Efficient EV | 73.3 | 0 | $25.65 | $11.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 117.2 | 1 | $41.03 | $18.76 |
Gas CO2
103 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Afternoon in Joliet on Saturday
Local time
12:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
13 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
5h 42m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 293.1
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
293.1 mi in 5h 42m, mostly highway — 154.9 mi of that is on I 57.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 154.9 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.4 miles in near IL 142 / Market Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 293.1 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 7.4 miles (IL 142 / Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 40.7 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 108.2 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Founded 1833
Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Top landmarks
- • Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
- • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
- • Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois
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 5h 42m. Total distance: 293.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 154.9 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.4 miles (IL 142 / Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 40.7 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 108.2 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Joliet, IL before the return drive.
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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