Origin
Bourbonnais, IL
Morning in Bourbonnais on Sunday
Local time
11:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bourbonnais, 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
1h 13m
Distance
55.4 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bourbonnais, IL
Pierre Blaché
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Traveling from Bourbonnais to Chicago is a straightforward 55.4-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 13 minutes. Because this is a short trip within the Midwest, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You can expect to spend roughly $8 on fuel for the trip, making it a very budget-friendly transit. By utilizing I-57 and the Dan Ryan Expressway, you will transition quickly from a quiet suburban setting into the heart of the city. This route is designed for efficiency rather than sightseeing, serving as a direct link between these two Illinois locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 39.6 mi | 47m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| North Convent Street | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Bourbonnais Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Olde Oak Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Marsile Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street Northwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 39.6 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bourbonnais, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on Olde Oak Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Olde Oak Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto IL 102
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Main Street Northwest
3
Turn left onto East Marsile Street
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
East Marsile Street
4
Continue on US 45; US 52
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
North Convent Street
5
Turn right onto Bourbonnais Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bourbonnais Parkway
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I-57 North: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 57
40 mi
·
47 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
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
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from Bourbonnais, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 54.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 102 / Main Street Northwest
At end of road, turn right onto IL 102 / Main Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
5
4.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I-57 North: Chicago
Navigation decision point
Toward I-57 North: Chicago
5
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
48.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
8
54.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.66 one way
$17.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.51 | $19.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.66 | $21.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.23 | $24.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.85 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.76 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
11:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM 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
2 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 13m 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 highway-focused experience, as 90% of your travel time will be spent on major roads. The drive is defined by a significant, uninterrupted 39.6-mile stretch on I-57, allowing for a consistent pace once you leave North Convent Street. As you approach the city, the character of the road shifts from open interstate to the higher-density traffic of the Dan Ryan Expressway. It is a functional, no-frills commute that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours. You should be prepared for a steady, high-speed grind that moves you efficiently through the region.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.6 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IL 102 / Main Street Northwest.
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 55.4 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.4 miles (IL 102 / Main Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.2 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
786 ft
572 ft
Total Climb
143 ft
Total Descent
221 ft
Highest Point
786 ft
~19.8 mi in
Elevation Range
214 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Bourbonnais, IL
Full guide →Founded 1832
Bourbonnais is a village in Kankakee County, in the Chicagoland region of Illinois.
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 1h 13m. Total distance: 55.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.6 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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, 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 0.4 miles (IL 102 / Main Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.2 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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