Trip from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 2m

Distance

148.9 mi

240 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min

4 AM

2h 51m ★

6 AM

3h 3m

8 AM

3h 26m

10 AM

3h 11m

12 PM

3h 9m

3 PM

3h 12m

5 PM

3h 25m

8 PM

2h 56m

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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Joliet, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Cerro Gordo, IL

Ton Souza

Trip Overview

The drive from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL covers 148.9 miles and takes about 3h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Ottawa Street, Chicago Street, Doris Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.28 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

74.4 miles from Joliet, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 31m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 2m. Total distance: 148.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 2m drive with frequent turns across 148.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Ottawa Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL is easy. At 3h 2m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Ottawa Street	—	—
Chicago Street	—	—
Doris Avenue	—	—
Gardner Street	—	—
Manhattan Road	—	—
West North Street	—	—
South State Street	—	—
Route 52	—	—

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Ottawa Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Cerro Gordo, IL.

Start on the route

112 ft · 10 sec · the route

Turn right onto Ottawa Street

0.3 mi · 44 sec · Ottawa Street

Continue on Ottawa Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Ottawa Street

Continue on Chicago Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · Chicago Street

Turn left onto Doris Avenue

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Doris Avenue

Turn right onto Gardner Street

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Gardner Street

Continue on Manhattan Road

2.2 mi · 3 min · Manhattan Road

Continue on Manhattan Road

3.1 mi · 4 min · Manhattan Road

Continue on West North Street

2.3 mi · 3 min · West North Street

Continue on South State Street

1.9 mi · 3 min · South State Street

Continue on US Route 52

1.2 mi · 1 min · US Route 52

Continue on South Cedar Road

3.1 mi · 4 min · South Cedar Road

Continue on West Arsenal Road

1.9 mi · 2 min · West Arsenal Road

Continue on West Joliet Road

1.3 mi · 1 min · West Joliet Road

Turn right onto South La Grange Road

10 mi · 13 min · South La Grange Road

Turn left onto Bourbonnais Parkway

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Bourbonnais Parkway

Take the ramp slight right toward I-57 South: Kankakee

0.4 mi · 54 sec · I-57 South: Kankakee

Merge slight left

83 mi · 1 hr 28 min

Take the exit slight right toward I 72 West: Decatur

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 72 West: Decatur

Merge slight left

25 mi · 27 min

Take the exit slight right toward IL 48: Cisco, Weldon

0.3 mi · 48 sec · IL 48: Cisco, Weldon

Turn left

0.5 mi · 56 sec

Turn left onto East 1500 North Road

1.1 mi · 1 min · East 1500 North Road

Turn right onto North Main Street

8.3 mi · 14 min · North Main Street

Continue on Carter Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Carter Street

Turn left onto North Jackson Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · North Jackson Street

Turn right onto East South Street

466 ft · 26 sec · East South Street

Turn left onto Monroe Street

167 ft · 7 sec · Monroe Street

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 74.4 miles from Joliet, IL, or about 1h 31m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 33 miles or 40m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 74.4 miles or 1h 31m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 29m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cerro Gordo, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Joliet, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Joliet, IL

This is one driving day of about 148.9 miles and 3h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Joliet, IL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 74.4 mi from Joliet, IL · 1h 31m into the drive

village in Chebanse Township, Iroquois County, Illinois, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Clifton, IL

74 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

Orland Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Clifton, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 74.4 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cerro Gordo, IL

The final approach into Cerro Gordo, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Cerro Gordo, IL.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.28 one way

$46.56 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 52 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$25.56	$51.12
premium	$4.89	$28.65	$57.31
diesel	$5.61	$32.88	$65.75

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 52.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	44.7	$15.63	$7.15
Efficient EV	37.2	$13.03	$5.96
EV Truck/SUV	59.6	$20.85	$9.53

Gas CO2

52 kg

EV CO2

17 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

Evening in Joliet on Thursday

Local time

5:30 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cerro Gordo, IL

Evening in Cerro Gordo on Thursday

Local time

5:30 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

69°F

Clifton, IL

74 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

3h 2m 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 Cerro Gordo, IL covers 148.9 miles and takes about 3h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Ottawa Street, Chicago Street, Doris Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 74.4 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 $23.28 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL is easy. At 3h 2m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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