Origin
Lockport, IL
Morning in Lockport on Friday
Local time
7:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lockport, IL to North Center, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
39.9 mi
64 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lockport, IL
Wikimedia Commons
North Center, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
The drive from Lockport, IL to North Center, IL covers 39.9 miles and takes about 1h 1m 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, Veterans Memorial Tollway, South Ashland Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.5 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 39.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Lockport, IL to North Center, IL covers 39.9 miles and takes about 1h 1m, 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 19 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 16.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.9 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward I 55 North: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12A
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
8
30.9 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
31.1 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
9
31.4 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 16.5 mi | 22m |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| South Ashland Avenue | 4.1 mi | 8m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| South Damen Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| West 9th Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Lincoln Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 159th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
— 16.5 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lockport, IL and North Center, IL.
1
Start on IL 7
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West 9th Street
2
Continue on IL 7
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 159th Street
3
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 12A
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 55
16 mi
·
22 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 55
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
440 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Damen Avenue
12
Turn right onto US 66 Hist
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ogden Avenue
13
Turn left onto South Ashland Avenue
4.1 mi
·
8 min
·
South Ashland Avenue
14
Turn slight left onto North Lincoln Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lincoln Avenue
15
Turn left onto West Byron Street
329 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Byron Street
16
Turn right onto North Damen Avenue
402 ft
·
15 sec
·
North Damen Avenue
17
Turn left
73 ft
·
9 sec
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right
171 ft
·
12 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.9 mi from Lockport, IL · 27m 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 39.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Lockport, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in North Center, IL
The final approach into North Center, 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
$6.24 one way
$12.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.85 | $13.70 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.68 | $15.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.81 | $17.62 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.48
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(6.8 mi)
$0.48
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 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 | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.59 | $2.55 |
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
North Center, IL
Morning in North Center on Friday
Local time
7:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
39°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
13 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
1h 1m 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 Lockport, IL to North Center, IL covers 39.9 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, South Ashland Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.9 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 $6.24 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 39.9 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Lockport, IL to North Center, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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