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Trip from Joliet, IL to Avondale, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

41.1 mi

66 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Illinois, United States

Joliet, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Avondale, IL, IL

Avondale, IL

Saynam Hung

Trip Overview

The drive from Joliet, IL to Avondale, IL covers 41.1 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, South Pulaski Road, Independence Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.3 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.43 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 41.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Joliet, IL to Avondale, IL covers 41.1 miles and takes about 1h 9m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Adlai Stevenson Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.1 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street

Turn right onto US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 30 / East Jefferson Street

Turn left onto US 30 / East Jefferson Street

Navigation decision point

7
31.9 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward Pulaski Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 287 Toward Pulaski Road
8
32.1 mi into trip | ~51m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Little Village

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward Little Village
7
39 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in | West Belden Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Joliet, IL and Avondale, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Little Village.

Chicago

12.9 mi in | ~25m

Little Village

32.1 mi in | ~51m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 17.3 mi 23m
South Pulaski Road 6.9 mi 13m
Independence Boulevard 5.4 mi 9m
Broadway Street 4.1 mi 7m
Joliet Road 2.3 mi 3m
North Pulaski Road 1.1 mi 2m
Stevenson Expressway 1.1 mi 1m
West Belmont Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 17.3 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Avondale, IL.

1

Start on this road

111 ft · 10 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto US 6; IL 53

175 ft · 12 sec · Ottawa Street
3

Turn left onto US 30

391 ft · 18 sec · East Jefferson Street
4

Turn left onto North Chicago Street

0.8 mi · 2 min · North Chicago Street
5

Continue on IL 53

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Ruby Street
6

Turn right onto IL 53

4.1 mi · 7 min · Broadway Street
7

Continue on IL 53

5.4 mi · 9 min · Independence Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8

Continue on Joliet Road

2.3 mi · 3 min · Joliet Road
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

108 ft · 2 sec
Toward I 355 South Toll, I 55 North: Suburbs, Chicago
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
11

Merge onto I 55

17 mi · 23 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 55

1.1 mi · 1 min · Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 287 Toward Pulaski Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Toward Little Village Use the left lane.
15

Turn straight onto South Pulaski Road

6.9 mi · 13 min · South Pulaski Road
16

At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue

170 ft · 10 sec · West Belden Avenue
Use the right lane.
17

Turn left onto North Pulaski Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · North Pulaski Road
18

Turn right onto West Belmont Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Belmont Avenue
19

Turn right onto North Christiana Avenue

142 ft · 6 sec · North Christiana Avenue
20

Arrive at destination

North Christiana Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.5 mi from Joliet, IL · 35m into the drive

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Berwyn, IL

21 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.

Popular next leg

Berwyn, IL to Avondale, IL

10.5 mi · 20m

Pacing Suggestions

Oak Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Downers Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Avondale, IL

The final approach into Avondale, 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

$6.43 one way

$12.85 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.05 $14.11
premium $4.89 $7.91 $15.82
diesel $5.61 $9.07 $18.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.3 0 $4.32 $1.97
Efficient EV 10.3 0 $3.60 $1.64
EV Truck/SUV 16.4 0 $5.75 $2.63

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Joliet, IL

Afternoon in Joliet on Thursday

Local time

2:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Avondale, IL

Afternoon in Avondale on Thursday

Local time

2:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°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

6 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

1h 9m 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 Joliet, IL to Avondale, IL covers 41.1 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, South Pulaski Road, Independence Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.5 miles from Joliet, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.43 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.1 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Joliet, IL and Avondale, IL, road signs point toward Chicago and Little Village.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

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