Origin
Earlville, IL
Morning in Earlville on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Earlville, 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
1h 21m
Distance
60.3 mi
97 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Earlville, IL
Tom Fisk
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Earlville, IL to Joliet, IL is 60.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via I 80, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward trip. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, so expect a focused and efficient journey. It's a short enough distance that it's easily manageable in a single day, offering a practical option for local travel or connecting to further destinations.
About the Cities
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Full guide →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.
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 1h 21m. Total distance: 60.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This trip is largely a highway-focused drive, with 76% of the route utilizing interstates. You'll experience a significant stretch of 41.2 miles on I 80 without needing to exit, which contributes to its efficient character. While the majority of the drive is on high-speed roads, there are segments on local roads like East 17th Road and Wesley Freebairn Road that break up the interstate travel. Expect a consistent pace for most of the 1 hour and 21 minutes.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 41.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and East 17th Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 21m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (CH 1 / County Highway 1): Navigation decision point; at 17.2 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Ottawa Street
Turn right onto South Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CH 1 / County Highway 1
Turn left onto CH 1 / County Highway 1
Navigation decision point
6
17.2 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Turn left toward I 80 East: Joliet
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 80 East: Joliet
5
17.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
58.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward Center Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 41.2 mi | 45m |
| East 17th Road | 6.3 mi | 11m |
| Wesley Freebairn Road | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| County Highway 1 | 4.6 mi | 8m |
| South Ottawa Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Columbus Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Jefferson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Center Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 41.2 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Earlville, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on West Winthrop Street
135 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Winthrop Street
2
Turn right onto South Ottawa Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ottawa Street
3
Continue on CH 41
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
County Highway 41
4
Turn left onto CH 1
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
County Highway 1
5
Continue on CH 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Wesley Freebairn Road
6
Continue on CH 1
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Wesley Freebairn Road
7
Continue on CH 1
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
County Highway 1
8
Continue on IL 23
6.0 mi
·
10 min
·
East 17th Road
9
Continue on IL 23
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Columbus Street
10
Continue on IL 23
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East 17th Road
11
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 80 East: Joliet
12
Merge onto I 80
41 mi
·
45 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
14
Continue on South Center Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Center Street
15
Continue on Hickory Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Hickory Street
16
Turn right onto US 30
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Jefferson Street
17
Turn left onto Joliet Street
174 ft
·
6 sec
·
Joliet Street
18
Turn right
272 ft
·
19 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.1 mi from Earlville, IL · 45m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.1 miles from Earlville, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Joliet, IL
The final approach into Joliet, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.43 one way
$18.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.35 | $20.70 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.60 | $23.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.31 | $26.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
| Efficient EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.1 | 0 | $8.44 | $3.86 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Joliet, IL
Morning in Joliet on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 21m 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 Earlville, IL to Joliet, IL covers 60.3 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, East 17th Road, Wesley Freebairn Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.1 miles from Earlville, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.43 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 straightforward 1h 21m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (CH 1 / County Highway 1): Navigation decision point; at 17.2 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
The route from Earlville, IL to Joliet, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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