Origin
Woodlawn, IL
Evening in Woodlawn on Thursday
Local time
6:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Woodlawn, IL to Chicago, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 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 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Woodlawn, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
The drive from Woodlawn, 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 Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), Dan Ryan Expressway (Local), East 63rd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.8 miles on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). 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 (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Woodlawn, 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.
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) is the longest continuous segment at about 2.8 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 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 64th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 14 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 (East 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 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
|
East 64th Street
Turn left onto East 64th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South University Avenue
Turn left onto South University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: 22nd Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: 22nd Street
8
7.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
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 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East 63rd Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Canalport Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 64th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South University Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
— 2.8 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Woodlawn, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on South Greenwood Avenue
65 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Greenwood Avenue
2
Turn left onto East 64th Street
524 ft
·
30 sec
·
East 64th Street
3
Turn left onto South University Avenue
431 ft
·
26 sec
·
South University Avenue
4
Turn left onto East 63rd Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East 63rd Street
5
Turn right onto South Wentworth Avenue
154 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Wentworth Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
Merge onto I 90; I 94
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: 22nd Street
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 90; I 94
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn slight left onto South Ruble Street
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Ruble Street
12
Turn slight left
75 ft
·
4 sec
13
Turn left onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi
·
26 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
Evening in Chicago on Thursday
Local time
6:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NNW 10 to 15 mph
41% chance
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
16 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 Woodlawn, 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 Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), Dan Ryan Expressway (Local), East 63rd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.1 miles from Woodlawn, 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 14 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 (East 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Woodlawn, IL to Chicago, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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