Origin
River Forest, IL
Afternoon in River Forest on Saturday
Local time
1:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from River Forest, IL to Calumet City, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
33.2 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
River Forest, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Calumet City, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
River Forest to Calumet City is 33.2 miles and takes about 50m via Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), Bishop Ford Freeway, and Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region from start to finish. Expect a mostly highway-focused experience, making it a straightforward and efficient trip. It’s a short enough distance that you can easily complete it within a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 8.8 mi | 11m |
| Bishop Ford Freeway | 8.5 mi | 11m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 7.8 mi | 10m |
| Sibley Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| North Harlem Avenue | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Augusta Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Wentworth Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
— 8.8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between River Forest, IL and Calumet City, IL.
1
Start on Augusta Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Augusta Street
2
Turn right onto IL 43
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
North Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 290 East
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
7.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7
Merge onto I 90; I 94
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
8.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
Toward I 94 East: Indiana
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 71B
Toward IL 83 South: East Sibley Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Turn straight onto Sibley Boulevard
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Sibley Boulevard
12
Turn right onto Wentworth Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wentworth Avenue
13
Turn left onto Pulaski Road
114 ft
·
3 sec
·
Pulaski Road
14
Arrive at destination
Pulaski Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.6 miles from River Forest, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 30 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Turn left toward I 290 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 290 East
7
10.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
8
12.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
7
21.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway toward I 94 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 94 East: Indiana
7
30 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward IL 83 South: East Sibley Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 71B
Toward IL 83 South: East Sibley Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.19 one way
$10.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.70 | $11.40 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.39 | $12.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Calumet City, IL
Afternoon in Calumet City on Saturday
Local time
1:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
WNW 15 to 20 mph
26% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 5:50AM CDT until April 21 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 5:48AM 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
16 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
50m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route leans heavily towards highway driving, with 82% of the journey on major expressways. You'll encounter the Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), Bishop Ford Freeway, and Eisenhower Expressway, indicating a focus on efficient travel between points. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll navigate is 8.8 miles on the Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). Given its highway-centric profile, expect a consistent pace for most of the drive, with minimal transitions to local roads.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.8 mi on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express).
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) and Bishop Ford Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 33.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 33.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.8 miles on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Calumet City, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Calumet City, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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