Trip from Uptown, IL to Joliet, IL

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 14m

Distance

52.3 mi

84 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min

4 AM

1h 9m ★

6 AM

1h 15m

8 AM

1h 27m

10 AM

1h 19m

12 PM

1h 18m

3 PM

1h 20m

5 PM

1h 26m

8 PM

1h 11m

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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Uptown, IL

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Joliet, IL

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Trip Overview

The drive from Uptown, IL to Joliet, IL covers 52.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 80, I 57, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.18 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

26.2 miles from Uptown, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 39m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 52.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and I 57. The longest continuous stretch is about 18 miles on I 80.

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

There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 18 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 57. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.2 miles in near I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express).

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 52.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.2 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; at 19 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 19 key points

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

10.2 mi into trip | ~17m 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

19 mi into trip | ~29m in | I 57

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

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 63 Toward I 57 South: Memphis

32.4 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward I 80 West: Iowa

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 345B Toward I 80 West: Iowa

50.8 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in

Take the exit toward Richards Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 133 Toward Richards Street

50.9 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 80	18 mi	21m
I 57	13.4 mi	18m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)	8.8 mi	11m
Kennedy Expressway	3.1 mi	4m
North Ashland Avenue	2.5 mi	5m
Dan Ryan Expressway	2.4 mi	2m
North Sheridan Road	0.8 mi	1m
West Irving Park Road	0.7 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 80 — 18 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Uptown, IL and Joliet, IL.

Start on this road

181 ft · 13 sec · this road

Continue on West Eastwood Avenue

509 ft · 21 sec · West Eastwood Avenue

Turn left onto North Sheridan Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Sheridan Road

Turn right onto IL 19

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Irving Park Road

Turn left onto North Ashland Avenue

2.5 mi · 5 min · North Ashland Avenue

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto West Armitage Avenue

0.2 mi · 26 sec · West Armitage Avenue

Use the right lane.

Turn sharp left onto North Paulina Street

287 ft · 9 sec · North Paulina Street

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Toward I 90 East, I 94 East

Merge onto I 90; I 94

3.1 mi · 4 min · Kennedy Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 90; I 94

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

13 mi · 18 min · I 57

Exit 63 Toward I 57 South: Memphis Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 45 sec

Exit 345B Toward I 80 West: Iowa Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 80

18 mi · 21 min · I 80

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 19 sec

Exit 133 Toward Richards Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

265 ft · 6 sec

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto Richards Street

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Richards Street

Turn left onto 4th Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · 4th Avenue

Turn sharp right onto US 6; IL 53

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Chicago Street

Keep slight right at fork onto US 6; IL 53

272 ft · 12 sec · Chicago Street

Turn left onto West Washington Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · West Washington Street

Turn right onto Joliet Street

520 ft · 18 sec · Joliet Street

Turn right

272 ft · 19 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 26.2 miles from Uptown, IL, or about 39m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18 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 52.3 miles or 1h 14m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 26.2 miles or 39m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 2m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Uptown, 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 Uptown, IL

This is one driving day of about 52.3 miles and 1h 14m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Uptown, IL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 18 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 26.2 mi from Uptown, IL · 39m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

26 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.

Popular next leg

Chicago, IL to Joliet, IL

43.8 mi · 1h

Pacing Suggestions

Orland Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 52.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chicago, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Uptown, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Joliet, IL

The final approach into Joliet, 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 Joliet, IL.

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...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 19.9

Caution: Road Construction Near the Park

View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.18 one way

$16.35 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$8.98	$17.95
premium	$4.89	$10.06	$20.13
diesel	$5.61	$11.55	$23.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$33–$58

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	15.7	$5.49	$2.51
Efficient EV	13.1	$4.58	$2.09
EV Truck/SUV	20.9	$7.32	$3.35

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Uptown, IL

Evening in Uptown on Tuesday

Local time

6:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Joliet, IL

Evening in Joliet on Tuesday

Local time

6:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°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

26 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 14m 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 Uptown, IL to Joliet, IL covers 52.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 80, I 57, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 26.2 miles from Uptown, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.18 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.

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

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