Origin
Joliet, IL
Morning in Joliet on Saturday
Local time
7:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to Earlville, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
60.4 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 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Earlville, IL
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Joliet, IL to Earlville, IL covers 60.4 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, East 17th Road, Wesley Freebairn Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.1 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.44 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting 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 20m. Total distance: 60.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 20m highway drive covering 60.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and East 17th Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 42.1 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 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 42.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and East 17th Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Joliet, IL to Earlville, IL is easy. At 1h 20m with 77% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese 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
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
43.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward IL 23: De Kalb, Ottawa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 90
Toward IL 23: De Kalb, Ottawa
5
59.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
CH 41 / County Highway 41
At end of road, turn right onto CH 41 / County Highway 41
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Joliet, IL to Earlville, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Ottawa along the way.
Ottawa
43.2 mi in
|
~49m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 42.1 mi | 46m |
| East 17th Road | 6.1 mi | 10m |
| Wesley Freebairn Road | 5.1 mi | 9m |
| County Highway 1 | 4.6 mi | 8m |
| South Ottawa Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Chicago Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Columbus Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 42.1 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Earlville, IL.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Ottawa Street
3
Continue on US 6; IL 53
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Ottawa Street
4
Continue on US 6; IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Chicago Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
6
Merge onto I 80
42 mi
·
46 min
·
I 80
Use the right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 90
Toward IL 23: De Kalb, Ottawa
8
Turn right onto IL 23
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East 17th Road
9
Continue on IL 23
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Columbus Street
10
Continue on IL 23
6.0 mi
·
10 min
·
East 17th Road
11
Continue on CH 1
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
County Highway 1
12
Continue on CH 1
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Wesley Freebairn Road
13
Continue on CH 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Wesley Freebairn Road
14
Continue on CH 1
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
County Highway 1
15
At end of road, turn right onto CH 41
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
County Highway 41
16
Continue on CH 41
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ottawa Street
17
Turn left onto West Winthrop Street
135 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Winthrop Street
18
Arrive at destination
West Winthrop Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.2 mi from Joliet, IL · 34m 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 30.2 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Earlville, IL
The final approach into Earlville, 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
$9.44 one way
$18.89 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.37 | $20.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.62 | $23.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.34 | $26.67 |
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 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
| Efficient EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.46 | $3.87 |
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
Earlville, IL
Morning in Earlville on Saturday
Local time
7:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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 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 20m 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 Earlville, IL covers 60.4 miles and takes about 1h 20m 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 30.2 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 $9.44 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 Joliet, IL to Earlville, IL is easy. At 1h 20m with 77% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Joliet, IL to Earlville, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Ottawa along the way.
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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