Trip from Joliet, IL to Summit, IL

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Independence Boulevard, Broadway Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 13.7 miles from Joliet, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

45m

Distance

27.5 mi

44 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min

4 AM

0h 42m ★

6 AM

0h 46m

8 AM

0h 53m

10 AM

0h 48m

12 PM

0h 48m

3 PM

0h 49m

5 PM

0h 53m

8 PM

0h 43m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Joliet, IL to Summit, IL covers 27.5 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Independence Boulevard, Broadway Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.30 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 27.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from Joliet, IL to Summit, IL covers 27.5 miles and takes about 45m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 15 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 13 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 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 6/10

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 27.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 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

5

12.9 mi into trip | ~25m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 55 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 55 North: Chicago

5

13.4 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge onto I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

26.4 mi into trip | ~43m in

Take the exit toward IL 171 South: 1st Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 282A Toward IL 171 South: 1st 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 Summit, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.

Chicago

12.9 mi in | ~25m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway	13 mi	17m
Independence Boulevard	5.4 mi	9m
Broadway Street	4.1 mi	7m
Joliet Road	2.3 mi	3m
North Chicago Street	0.8 mi	2m
IL 171	0.4 mi	<1m
South Archer Avenue	0.2 mi	<1m
Ruby Street	0.2 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 13 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

13 mi · 17 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

12

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 57 sec

Exit 282A Toward IL 171 South: 1st Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.

13

Turn straight onto IL 171

0.4 mi · 38 sec · IL 171

14

Turn right onto IL 171

0.2 mi · 28 sec · South Archer Avenue

Use the right lane.

15

Arrive at destination

IL 171

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.30 one way

$8.60 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$4.72	$9.44
premium	$4.89	$5.29	$10.58
diesel	$5.61	$6.07	$12.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	8.3	$2.89	$1.32
Efficient EV	6.9	$2.41	$1.10
EV Truck/SUV	11	$3.85	$1.76

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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

Evening in Joliet on Thursday

Local time

5:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Summit, IL

Evening in Summit on Thursday

Local time

5:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

45m 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 Summit, IL covers 27.5 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.