Joliet, IL to McKinley Park, IL is 35.3 miles and takes about 56m via Adlai Stevenson Expressway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip within the Midwest, connecting two points in Illinois. Given its short distance and duration, it's ideal for a single-day journey. You'll be covering a relatively short distance, so it's a practical option for a quick relocation or a day trip without significant time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 35.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive offers a mixed experience, with 59% of the route utilizing highways. You'll spend a significant portion on the Adlai Stevenson Expressway, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.3 miles. Expect a blend of faster highway driving and transitions onto surface streets like Independence Boulevard and Broadway Street as you approach your destination. The road character shifts from expressway cruising to more urban surface street navigation.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 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 Effort9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 35.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
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 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 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
8
34.4 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
34.5 mi into trip|~54m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
8
34.8 mi into trip|~55m in
Keep slight right at fork toward South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward South Damen Avenue
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 McKinley Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
12.9 mi in|~25m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
17.3 mi
23m
Independence Boulevard
5.4 mi
9m
Broadway Street
4.1 mi
7m
Stevenson Expressway
3.6 mi
4m
Joliet Road
2.3 mi
3m
North Chicago Street
0.8 mi
2m
South Damen Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Ruby Street
0.2 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 McKinley Park, 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
3.6 mi·4 min·Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 290Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward Damen AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
371 ft·11 sec
Toward South Damen AvenueUse the right lane.
16
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
0.3 mi·45 sec·South Damen Avenue
17
Turn left
272 ft·19 sec
18
Turn slight right
199 ft·14 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.6 mi from Joliet, IL
· 31m into the drive
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in McKinley Park, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into McKinley Park, 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
$5.52 one way
$11.04 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg12 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$6.06
$12.12
premium
$4.89
$6.79
$13.59
diesel
$5.61
$7.79
$15.59
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 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
10.6
0
$3.71
$1.69
Efficient EV
8.8
0
$3.09
$1.41
EV Truck/SUV
14.1
0
$4.94
$2.26
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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 16, 2026
Origin
Joliet, IL
Night
in Joliet on Friday
Local time
11:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
WNW 10 to 15 mph31% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 16 at 2:08PM CDT until April 16 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
McKinley Park, IL
Night
in McKinley Park on Friday
Local time
11:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
4 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
56m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Joliet, IL to McKinley Park, IL covers 35.3 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Independence Boulevard, Broadway Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.6 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 $5.52 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 11 decision points packed into just 35.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
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 34.4 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 McKinley Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago 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.
