Origin
North Center, IL
Night in North Center on Thursday
Local time
9:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Center, IL to Chicago, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
16m
Distance
8.2 mi
13 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Center, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
The drive from North Center, IL to Chicago, IL covers 8.2 miles and takes about 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kennedy Expressway, North Ashland Avenue, North Lincoln Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.1 miles on Kennedy Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 8.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m 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.
Drive Character
The drive from North Center, IL to Chicago, IL covers 8.2 miles and takes about 16m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kennedy Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.1 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 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 8.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (IL 19 / West Irving Park Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Armitage Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 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
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 19 / West Irving Park Road
Turn right onto IL 19 / West Irving Park Road
Navigation decision point
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
West Armitage Avenue
Turn right onto West Armitage Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
North Paulina Street
Turn sharp left onto North Paulina Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
7.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| North Ashland Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| North Lincoln Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Union Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Armitage Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 3.1 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Center, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on this road
68 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
71 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn right onto IL 19
144 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Irving Park Road
4
Turn right onto North Lincoln Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Lincoln Avenue
5
Turn slight right onto North Ashland Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Ashland Avenue
6
Turn right onto West Armitage Avenue
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Armitage Avenue
Use the right lane.
7
Turn sharp left onto North Paulina Street
287 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Paulina Street
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
9
Merge onto I 90; I 94
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
13
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
14
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
15
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
16
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
17
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.28 one way
$2.56 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.41 | $2.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.58 | $3.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.81 | $3.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.72 | $0.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Chicago, IL
Night in Chicago on Thursday
Local time
9:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NNW 10 to 15 mph
41% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:29PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
29 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
16m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from North Center, IL to Chicago, IL covers 8.2 miles and takes about 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kennedy Expressway, North Ashland Avenue, North Lincoln Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.1 miles from North Center, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.28 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 8.2 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (IL 19 / West Irving Park Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Armitage Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from North Center, IL to Chicago, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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