Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
29.5 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago Ridge, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
This straightforward 29.5-mile drive from Evanston, IL to Chicago Ridge, IL is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 50 minutes. You'll primarily navigate using South Cicero Avenue, North Western Avenue, and the Stevenson Expressway, with about a third of your journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this excursion is around $5, making it an economical option. Given its short distance and the mixed driving profile, this route is best suited for a quick, direct journey within the Midwest region.
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 29.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 33% of the journey utilizing highway segments. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch at 6.5 miles along South Cicero Avenue, which will likely offer a more urban or suburban driving experience. The inclusion of the Stevenson Expressway suggests periods of faster-paced travel, but the overall character is a blend of arterial roads and highway cruising. The road's personality shifts between steady, local thoroughfare driving and quicker expressway 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 early in the drive.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 29.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 left
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 55: Saint Louis, DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 50: Cicero Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Cicero Avenue | 6.5 mi | 10m |
| North Western Avenue | 5.5 mi | 11m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Highway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West 93rd Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Chicago Ridge, IL.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn left
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
Continue on North Western Avenue
Turn left onto North Clybourn Avenue
Turn right onto North Damen Avenue
Turn left onto West Webster Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90; I 94
Continue on I 90; I 94
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 55
Take the exit
Turn left onto IL 50
Turn right onto West 93rd Street
Continue on Southwest Highway
Turn left onto South Ridgeland Avenue
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$4.61 one way
$9.22 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.06 | $10.13 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.68 | $11.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.51 | $13.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Late night in Evanston on Saturday
Local time
1:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Widespread Fog then Partly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Chicago Ridge on Saturday
Local time
1:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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 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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