Origin
Bellwood, IL
Evening in Bellwood on Sunday
Local time
5:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bellwood, IL to Joliet, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bellwood, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 36.6-mile drive from Bellwood, IL to Joliet, IL is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in under an hour, making it perfect for a single day. You'll navigate primarily using the Veterans Memorial Tollway and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a portion on Maple Road. With an estimated fuel cost of $6, this is an economical journey. The overall feel is that of a typical, turn-heavy local drive within the Midwest region. Given its short distance and duration, an overnight stay is not necessary for this route.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 19.9 mi | 22m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 7.6 mi | 9m |
| Maple Road | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Mannheim Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Frontage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 19.9 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bellwood, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on US 12; US 20; US 45
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Mannheim Road
2
Turn right onto North Frontage Road
363 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Frontage Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 290 West
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight left lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 131A
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 355
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
11
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
12
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Bellwood, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 30.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 290 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 290 West
9
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
3.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 355 South: Joliet
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 131A
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
7
30.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.72 one way
$11.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.28 | $12.57 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.85
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(19.9 mi)
$1.39
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(7.6 mi)
$0.46
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Joliet, IL
Evening in Joliet on Sunday
Local time
5:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Chance Rain Showers
W 15 mph
29% 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
44°F
Woodridge, IL
18 mi in
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
27 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
49m 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?
Expect a drive characterized by frequent turns, indicating a more local feel rather than a pure highway cruise. The highway share is relatively low at 2%, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface streets and connecting roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19.9 miles on the Veterans Memorial Tollway, offering a brief period of consistent travel before more local road navigation resumes. This route offers a blend of quicker tollway segments and more intricate local driving.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.9 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 36.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bellwood, IL and Joliet, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
1.9 mi in
|
~3m
|
via I 88; IL 110
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
3.7 mi in
|
~5m
|
via I 88; IL 110
About the Cities
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Founded 1833
Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Top landmarks
- • Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
- • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
- • Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.9 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.85 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans Memorial Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Joliet, 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Joliet, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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