Origin
Evanston, IL
Afternoon in Evanston on Monday
Local time
2:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
53.5 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Joliet, IL
KITSUN YUEN
Trip Overview
The drive from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dempster Street, Asbury Avenue, Oakton Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
26.7 miles from Evanston, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 37m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 15m drive with frequent turns across 53.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dempster Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL is easy. At 1h 15m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dempster Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Asbury Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Oakton Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Gross Point Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| New Gross Point Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Howard Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Lehigh Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Gross Point Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Dempster Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on the route
197 ft
·
22 sec
·
the route
2
At the end of the road, turn left
141 ft
·
16 sec
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
15 sec
·
Dempster Street
4
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
5
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
6
Turn slight left onto Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Gross Point Road
7
Turn straight onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
8
Turn right onto Howard Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Howard Street
9
Turn left onto North Lehigh Avenue
121 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Lehigh Avenue
10
Turn right onto West Gross Point Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Gross Point Road
11
Turn slight right onto West Touhy Avenue
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
12
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
184 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Des Plaines River Road
13
Take the ramp slight right toward I 294 South: Indiana
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 294 South: Indiana
14
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
16
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
17
Continue on Tri-State Tollway
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
18
Keep slight right to continue on I 88 West Toll: Aurora
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 88 West Toll: Aurora
19
Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
20
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 355 South: Joliet
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 355 South: Joliet
22
Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
23
Take the exit slight right toward US 6: Southwest Highway
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 6: Southwest Highway
24
Turn right onto Maple Road
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
25
Turn left onto North Ottawa Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
26
Turn right
112 ft
·
8 sec
27
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 26.7 miles from Evanston, IL, or about 37m into the drive.
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 53.5 miles or 1h 15m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 26.7 miles or 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 4m
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 Evanston, 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 Evanston, IL
This is one driving day of about 53.5 miles and 1h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Evanston, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.7 mi from Evanston, IL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 53.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.7 miles from Evanston, 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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Joliet, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.13 one way
$16.25 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $8.96 | $17.92 |
| premium | $4.80 | $10.10 | $20.20 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $11.89 | $23.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$33–$58
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.62 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.49 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Afternoon in Joliet on Monday
Local time
2:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
3 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 15m 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 Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dempster Street, Asbury Avenue, Oakton Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.7 miles from Evanston, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.13 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.
The drive from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL is easy. At 1h 15m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Evanston, IL to Joliet, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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