Origin
Joliet, IL
Late night in Joliet on Saturday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to South Shore, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
39.1 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
South Shore, IL
Wallace Silva
Trip Overview
Joliet, IL to South Shore, IL is 39.1 miles and takes about 54 minutes via I 80 and I 57, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, highway-focused trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois. It’s a straightforward drive perfect for a quick commute or a brief regional excursion. Consider this route when you need to cover a moderate distance efficiently without venturing too far off the main thoroughfares. The drive is primarily on major interstates, making it a predictable and easy journey.
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 54m. Total distance: 39.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 84% of the drive on interstates. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I 80, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.7 miles. The journey begins on I 80 before transitioning to I 57, and finally utilizes East 87th Street for the last segment. Expect a consistent driving experience with higher speeds for most of the trip. The character remains predominantly that of a modern interstate highway for the majority of the 39.1 miles.
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 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 12 decision points packed into just 39.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
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 12 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
1.3 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...
7
34.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward 87th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 61B
Toward 87th Street
6
37 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
South Stony Island Avenue
Turn left onto South Stony Island Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 South Shore, 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 |
| East 87th Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Stony Island Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chicago Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East 75th Street | 0.4 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 South Shore, 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
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 61B
Toward 87th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto South State Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South State Street
12
Turn right onto East 87th Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East 87th Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto South Stony Island Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Stony Island Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto East 75th Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
East 75th Street
15
Turn left onto South Baldwin Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Baldwin Avenue
16
Turn right onto East 74th Street
154 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 74th Street
17
Turn left onto South Euclid Avenue
471 ft
·
20 sec
·
South Euclid Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
South Euclid Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.6 mi from Joliet, IL · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in South Shore, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into South Shore, 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
$6.11 one way
$12.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.52 | $15.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.63 | $17.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.7 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 | 11.7 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
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.
Destination
South Shore, IL
Late night in South Shore on Saturday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Burbank, IL
20 mi in
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
12 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
54m 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 South Shore, IL covers 39.1 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, I 57, East 87th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.6 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 $6.11 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 12 decision points packed into just 39.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
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 South Shore, 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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