Origin
Belmont Cragin, IL
Morning in Belmont Cragin on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belmont Cragin, IL to Chicago, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
11.5 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
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.
Belmont Cragin, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Belmont Cragin to Chicago is 11.5 miles and takes about 21 minutes via Kennedy Expressway and West Belmont Avenue, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and Illinois state, connecting two points within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Expect a mixed drive that’s mostly highway, making it a straightforward commute rather than an expansive journey. It’s ideal for those needing a quick transit across town.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| West Belmont Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Union Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West George Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 5.9 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belmont Cragin, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on this road
4 ft
·
2 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto North Major Avenue
496 ft
·
23 sec
·
North Major Avenue
3
Turn right onto West George Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
West George Street
4
Turn left onto North Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Central Avenue
5
Turn right onto West Belmont Avenue
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
West Belmont Avenue
6
Turn left onto North Kimball Avenue
434 ft
·
22 sec
·
North Kimball Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
8
Merge onto I 90; I 94
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
12
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
13
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
14
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
15
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
16
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West George Street
Turn right onto West George Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
North Kimball Avenue
Turn left onto North Kimball Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 East, I 94 East
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 90; I 94 / Kennedy Expressway
Merge onto I 90; I 94 / Kennedy Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
10.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.80 one way
$3.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.97 | $3.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.21 | $4.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.54 | $5.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.21 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.61 | $0.74 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in Chicago on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
W 10 to 15 mph
39% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 7:58AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 7:30AM CDT until April 17 at 1:00PM 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
22 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
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 presents a mixed drive profile, with 59% of it being highway. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Kennedy Expressway, which offers a 5.9-mile uninterrupted stretch. The drive begins on West Belmont Avenue, a more local road, before merging onto the Kennedy Expressway. This transition means you’ll experience a shift from urban surface streets to faster-paced highway travel, characteristic of an in-city commute.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.9 mi on Kennedy Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West George Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 11.5 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 0.1 miles (West George Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (North Kimball Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
- • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
- • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs
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 21m. Total distance: 11.5 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 (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.9 miles on Kennedy Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (West George Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (North Kimball Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: 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 Chicago, 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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