Origin
Salem, IL
Afternoon in Salem on Thursday
Local time
4:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salem, IL to Junction City, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
21m
Distance
13.1 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Salem, IL to Junction City, IL covers 13.1 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Main Street, Poplar, East Poplar Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.7 miles on West Main Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 13.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 21m drive with frequent turns across 13.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Main Street is the longest continuous segment at about 3.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 50 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 50 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.2 miles (US 50; US 51 / North Mine Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (Brink Road): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 50 / West Main Street
Turn left onto US 50 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
9.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
US 50; US 51 / North Mine Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 50; US 51 / North Mine Street
Navigation decision point
4
11.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Brink Road
Turn right onto Brink Road
Navigation decision point
4
12.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Monroe Avenue
Turn left onto Monroe Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
13 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
West 12th Street
Turn right onto West 12th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Main Street | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Poplar | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| East Poplar Street | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| County Road 180 E | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| North Mine Street | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Brink Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East 14th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| N Mine St | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Main Street
— 3.7 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, IL and Junction City, IL.
1
Start on IL 37
33 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Broadway
2
Turn left onto US 50
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West Main Street
3
Continue on US 50
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East Poplar Street
4
Continue on US 50
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Poplar
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 50; US 51
443 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Mine Street
6
Continue on US 50; US 51
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
N Mine St
7
Continue on US 50; US 51
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
North Mine Street
8
Continue on US 51
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 180 E
9
Turn right onto Brink Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Brink Road
10
Continue on East 14th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 14th Street
11
Turn left onto Monroe Avenue
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Monroe Avenue
12
Turn right onto West 12th Street
293 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 12th Street
13
Arrive at destination
West 12th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.05 one way
$4.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.52 | $5.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Junction City, IL
Afternoon in Junction City on Thursday
Local time
4:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
31 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
21m 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 Salem, IL to Junction City, IL covers 13.1 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Main Street, Poplar, East Poplar Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.5 miles from Salem, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.05 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 is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 50 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.2 miles (US 50; US 51 / North Mine Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (Brink Road): Navigation decision point.
The route from Salem, IL to Junction City, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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