Origin
Braidwood, IL
Morning in Braidwood on Tuesday
Local time
7:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Braidwood, IL to Cicero, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
54.8 mi
88 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 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Braidwood, IL
Engin Akyurt
Trip Overview
Braidwood, IL to Cicero, IL is 54.8 miles and takes about 1h 10m via I 55, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive entirely within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a quick transit with minimal fuss, making it ideal for a day trip or a short leg of a larger journey. Given the short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 47.8 mi | 58m |
| North Washington Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| South Cicero Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Laramie Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 31st Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 47.8 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Braidwood, IL and Cicero, IL.
1
Start on this road
200 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto IL 129
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
North Washington Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
4
Merge onto I 55
48 mi
·
58 min
·
I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 286
Toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn left onto IL 50
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cicero Avenue
7
Turn left onto West 31st Street
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
West 31st Street
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Laramie Avenue
9
Arrive at destination
South Laramie Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 27.4 miles from Braidwood, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 129 / North Washington Street
At end of road, turn left onto IL 129 / North Washington Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 286
Toward IL 50: Cicero Avenue
6
53.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
West 31st Street
Turn left onto West 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
54.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
South Laramie Avenue
Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.57 one way
$17.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.41 | $18.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.55 | $21.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.10 | $24.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 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 | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.51 |
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
Cicero, IL
Morning in Cicero on Tuesday
Local time
7:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
5 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 10m 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 is predominantly a highway drive, with 87% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend most of your time on I 55, experiencing an uninterrupted stretch of 47.8 miles that allows for steady progress. The profile is consistently highway-focused, meaning you'll encounter limited scenic detours and maintain highway speeds for the bulk of the trip. North Washington Street and South Cicero Avenue will eventually guide you into your destination.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.8 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and North Washington Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IL 129 / North Washington Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 10m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IL 129 / North Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cicero, IL
Full guide →Cicero is a town of 81,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland area, just west of the Chicago city limits. It became famous when gangster Al Capone moved here to escape from the Chicago Police in the early 1920s.
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 10m. Total distance: 54.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.8 miles on I 55. 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: near the start (IL 129 / North Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Cicero, 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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