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Trip from Joliet, IL to Kenwood, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

58m

Distance

41.8 mi

67 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 53m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m

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 Kenwood, IL, IL

Kenwood, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Joliet, IL to Kenwood, IL covers 41.8 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 80, I 57, Dan Ryan Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.7 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.53 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 41.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 58m highway drive covering 41.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and I 57. The longest continuous stretch is about 18.7 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 14 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 18.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 57. 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 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 41.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 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
1.3 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 80

Merge onto I 80

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
19.9 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 151B Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wiscon...
8
37.2 mi into trip | ~49m in | I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) toward I 90 Local, I 94 Local

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 90 Local, I 94 Local
7
39.7 mi into trip | ~53m in

Take the exit toward 47th Street

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 56B Toward 47th Street

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 Kenwood, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.

Wisconsin

19.9 mi in | ~26m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 80 18.7 mi 22m
I 57 13.4 mi 18m
Dan Ryan Expressway 3.3 mi 4m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) 2.5 mi 4m
West 47th Street 1.7 mi 3m
Chicago Street 0.6 mi 1m
Ottawa Street 0.4 mi 1m
South Wentworth Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 80 — 18.7 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Kenwood, 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

0.6 mi · 1 min · Chicago Street
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 80 East: Gary Indiana
6

Merge onto I 80

19 mi · 22 min · I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 50 sec
Exit 151B Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8

Merge onto I 57

13 mi · 18 min · I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 94

3.3 mi · 4 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94

2.5 mi · 4 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
Toward I 90 Local, I 94 Local Use the slight right lane.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Exit 56B Toward 47th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn straight onto South Wentworth Avenue

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Wentworth Avenue
13

Turn right onto West 47th Street

1.7 mi · 3 min · West 47th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14

Arrive at destination

East 47th Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.9 mi from Joliet, IL · 27m into the drive

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago Heights, 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Orland Park, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Kenwood, IL

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Kenwood, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.53 one way

$13.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.18 $14.35
premium $4.89 $8.04 $16.09
diesel $5.61 $9.23 $18.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.5 0 $4.39 $2.01
Efficient EV 10.5 0 $3.66 $1.67
EV Truck/SUV 16.7 0 $5.85 $2.68

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Joliet, IL

Afternoon in Joliet on Friday

Local time

3:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kenwood, IL

Afternoon in Kenwood on Friday

Local time

3:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°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

28 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

58m 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 Kenwood, IL covers 41.8 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 80, I 57, Dan Ryan Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 20.9 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 $6.53 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 short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 41.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from Joliet, IL to Kenwood, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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