Trip from Lockport, IL to Benton, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 22m

Distance

280.7 mi

452 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$44

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

12 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

5h 9m ★

6 AM

5h 23m

8 AM

5h 50m

10 AM

5h 32m

12 PM

5h 29m

3 PM

5h 34m

5 PM

5h 48m

8 PM

5h 15m

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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city in Will County, Illinois, United States

Lockport, IL

Wikimedia Commons

city in Franklin County, Illinois, United States

Benton, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Lockport, IL to Benton, IL covers 280.7 miles and takes about 5h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, South La Grange Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 226.2 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.88 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

140.4 miles from Lockport, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 22m. Total distance: 280.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 5h 22m highway drive covering 280.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 226.2 miles on I 57.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 226.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Garfield Avenue.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 5h 22m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Garfield Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (East Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 193.7 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | Garfield Avenue

Turn right onto Garfield Avenue

Navigation decision point

0.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | East Division Street

At end of road, turn left onto East Division Street

Navigation decision point

193.7 mi into trip | ~3h 47m in | I 57

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 South: Memphis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 57 South: Memphis

279.4 mi into trip | ~5h 20m in

Take the exit toward IL 14: Christopher, Benton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IL 14: Christopher, Benton

280.7 mi into trip | ~5h 22m in | IL 14; IL 37 / Public Square

Enter roundabout onto IL 14; IL 37 / Public Square

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 57	226.2 mi	4h 3m
Ken Gray Expressway	20 mi	21m
South La Grange Road	10.1 mi	13m
Briggs Street	3.6 mi	8m
South Cedar Road	3.1 mi	4m
Manhattan Road	3.1 mi	4m
West North Street	2.3 mi	3m
South Briggs Street	2 mi	4m

Longest stretch: I 57 — 226.2 mi, about 4h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lockport, IL and Benton, IL.

Start on IL 7

0.5 mi · 1 min · West 9th Street

Turn right onto Garfield Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · Garfield Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto East Division Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · East Division Street

Turn right onto CH 62

2.0 mi · 4 min · South Briggs Street

Continue on CH 62

0.9 mi · 2 min · Fernwood Avenue

Continue on CH 62

3.6 mi · 8 min · Briggs Street

Continue on US 52

3.1 mi · 4 min · Manhattan Road

Continue on US 52

2.3 mi · 3 min · West North Street

Continue on US 52

1.9 mi · 3 min · South State Street

Continue on US 52

1.2 mi · 1 min · US Route 52

Continue on US 52

3.1 mi · 4 min · South Cedar Road

Continue on US 52

1.9 mi · 2 min · West Arsenal Road

Continue on US 52

1.3 mi · 1 min · West Joliet Road

Turn right onto US 45; US 52

10 mi · 13 min · South La Grange Road

Turn left onto Bourbonnais Parkway

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Bourbonnais Parkway

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 53 sec

Toward I-57 South: Kankakee

Merge onto I 57

161 mi · 2 hr 52 min · I 57

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · I 57

Toward I 57 South: Memphis

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

20 mi · 21 min · Ken Gray Expressway

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec

Toward IL 14: Christopher, Benton

Turn left onto IL 14

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Main Street

Enter roundabout onto IL 14; IL 37

349 ft · 5 sec · Public Square

Arrive at destination

IL 14; IL 37

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 140.4 miles from Lockport, IL, or about 2h 50m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 226.2 miles.

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 62 miles or 1h 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 140.4 miles or 2h 50m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 27m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Lockport, 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 Lockport, IL

This is one driving day of about 280.7 miles and 5h 22m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Lockport, 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.

The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 226.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 140.4 mi from Lockport, IL · 2h 50m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tuscola, IL

140 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

Joliet, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 62 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Tuscola, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 140.4 miles from Lockport, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 226.2 miles.

Arriving in Benton, IL

The final approach into Benton, 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 Benton, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$43.88 one way

$87.77 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 98 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$48.18	$96.37
premium	$4.89	$54.02	$108.04
diesel	$5.61	$61.98	$123.95

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$44

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$69–$94

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 98.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

12 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

ChargePoint Charging Station

Mattoon, Illinois

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Champaign, Illinois

Tesla

1 DCFC

Blink Charging Station

Mattoon, Illinois

Blink

1 DCFC

EV Connect Charging Station

Savoy, Illinois

EV Connect

1 DCFC

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Mattoon, Illinois

Other

1 DCFC

Tesla Destination Charger

Champaign, Illinois

Tesla Destination

1 DCFC

Hampton Inn Charging Station

Champaign, Illinois

Other

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Champaign, Illinois

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

Blink: 4 ChargePoint: 3 Other: 2 Tesla: 1 EV Connect: 1 Tesla Destination: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	84.2	1	$29.47	$13.47
Efficient EV	70.2	0	$24.56	$11.23
EV Truck/SUV	112.3	1	$39.30	$17.96

Gas CO2

98 kg

EV CO2

33 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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

Lockport, IL

Afternoon in Lockport on Thursday

Local time

1:23 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Benton, IL

Afternoon in Benton on Thursday

Local time

1:23 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

22 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

5h 22m on the road

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

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Lockport, IL to Benton, IL covers 280.7 miles and takes about 5h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, South La Grange 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 140.4 miles from Lockport, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.88 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 5h 22m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The route from Lockport, IL to Benton, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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