Origin
Joliet, IL
Afternoon in Joliet on Friday
Local time
12:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to Pontiac, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
61.4 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Pontiac, IL
Ernest Westphal
Trip Overview
The drive from Joliet, IL to Pontiac, IL covers 61.4 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, I 80, North 1500 East Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.4 miles on I 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 61.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 12m highway drive covering 61.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and I 80. The longest continuous stretch is about 49.4 miles on I 55.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 is the longest continuous segment at about 49.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 80. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.4 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 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 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
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.
5
7.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 126A
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
5
7.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
57.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward IL 23: Pontiac, Streator
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 23: Pontiac, Streator
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 Pontiac, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Streator along the way.
Streator
57.3 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 49.4 mi | 53m |
| I 80 | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| North 1500 East Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| West Howard Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Old Route 66 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Chicago Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 49.4 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Pontiac, 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
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
I 80
Use the right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 126A
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
8
Merge onto I 55
49 mi
·
53 min
·
I 55
Use the right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Toward IL 23: Pontiac, Streator
10
Keep slight left at fork
111 ft
·
2 sec
Toward IL 23: Pontiac, Streator
11
Turn left onto IL 23
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North 1500 East Road
12
Turn right onto IL 23
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Old Route 66
13
Turn left onto IL 116
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Howard Street
14
Turn right onto North Main Street
313 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Main Street
15
Turn right onto West Madison Street
302 ft
·
15 sec
·
West Madison Street
16
Turn right onto North Mill Street
204 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Mill Street
17
Arrive at destination
North Mill Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.7 mi from Joliet, IL · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.7 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Pontiac, IL
The final approach into Pontiac, 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
$9.60 one way
$19.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.54 | $21.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.82 | $23.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.56 | $27.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.5 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 | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.37 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.60 | $3.93 |
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
Pontiac, IL
Afternoon in Pontiac on Friday
Local time
12:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
5 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 12m 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 Pontiac, IL covers 61.4 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55, I 80, North 1500 East 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 30.7 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 $9.60 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 61.4 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 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Joliet, IL to Pontiac, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Streator 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Pontiac, IL
More trips to Pontiac, IL
Explore more options from Joliet, IL or browse trips ending in Pontiac, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.