Origin
Bolingbrook, IL
Late night in Bolingbrook on Sunday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bolingbrook, IL to Chicago Heights, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
35.2 mi
57 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bolingbrook to Chicago Heights is 35.2 miles and takes about 51 minutes via Veterans Memorial Tollway and I-80, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, connecting two Midwest communities. Expect a journey that involves a mix of highway travel and local road navigation, requiring your attention throughout. It's a straightforward trip, ideal if you're looking for a relatively quick connection between these suburban areas without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 11.6 mi | 12m |
| I 80 | 8 mi | 9m |
| Vollmer Road | 6.9 mi | 12m |
| Dixie Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Harlem Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| North Bolingbrook Drive | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Lincoln Highway | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 11.6 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bolingbrook, IL and Chicago Heights, IL.
1
Start on IL 53
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Bolingbrook Drive
2
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
3
Merge onto I 55
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 269
Toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 South: Southwest Suburbs
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 355
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Exit 0A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
8
Merge onto I 80
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 148A
Toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto IL 43
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Harlem Avenue
11
Turn left onto CH B66
6.9 mi
·
12 min
·
Vollmer Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn slight right onto Dixie Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Dixie Highway
13
At end of road, turn right onto IL 1
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Chicago Road
14
Turn left onto US 30
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Lincoln Highway
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
South Halsted Street
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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Bolingbrook, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 26.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
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 269
Toward I 355 Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest...
7
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 355 South: Southwest Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 355 South: Southwest Suburbs
6
15.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 0A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
7
24.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 148A
Toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue
6
26.1 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
CH B66 / Vollmer Road
Turn left onto CH B66 / Vollmer Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.50 one way
$11.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.04 | $12.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.77 | $13.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.77 | $15.54 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.81
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(11.6 mi)
$0.81
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.93 | $2.25 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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 Heights, IL
Late night in Chicago Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
21 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
51m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a turn-heavy local drive profile, meaning you'll encounter frequent changes in direction. Approximately 26% of the journey is on highways, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 11.6 miles on the Veterans Memorial Tollway. As you transition from the tollway to I-80 and then onto Vollmer Road, the driving experience shifts from faster-paced highway travel to more localized streets. Be prepared for a dynamic drive that demands active navigation and awareness of traffic signals and intersections.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.6 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 2.4 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 11 decision points packed into just 35.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
On the drive from Bolingbrook, IL to Chicago Heights, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Southwest Suburbs along the way.
Southwest Suburbs
2.4 mi in
|
~4m
About the Cities
Arriving in Chicago Heights, IL
Full guide →Founded 1893
Chicago Heights is a city of 29,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland region of Illinois. Chicago Heights remains one of the most dangerous cities in Illinois, with rampant poverty and high levels of violent crime.
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 51m. Total distance: 35.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m 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 11.6 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.81 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 Chicago Heights, 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 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Heights, 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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