Origin
Calumet City, IL
Morning in Calumet City on Sunday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Calumet City, IL to Evanston, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
34.9 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Calumet City, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 36.1 miles through the Midwest, this route connects Calumet City to Evanston in approximately 57 minutes. You will primarily navigate via Wentworth Avenue, Sibley Boulevard, and I-94 West to complete the journey. Given the short duration, this trip is easily managed as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. With a fuel budget of just $5, it remains an incredibly economical way to travel between these two Illinois points. Because the drive is straightforward and relatively brief, you have the flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule rather than worrying about heavy travel logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop Ford Freeway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| North Western Avenue | 5.5 mi | 11m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Sibley Boulevard | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Clybourn Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Bishop Ford Freeway
— 8.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Calumet City, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on Pulaski Road
114 ft
·
7 sec
·
Pulaski Road
2
Turn right onto Wentworth Avenue
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Wentworth Avenue
3
Turn left onto Sibley Boulevard
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Sibley Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 94 West: Chicago
5
Merge onto I 94
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
Toward I 94 West: Chicago Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 90; I 94
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto North Damen Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Damen Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn slight left onto North Clybourn Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Clybourn Avenue
13
Turn right onto North Western Avenue
5.5 mi
·
11 min
·
North Western Avenue
14
Continue on Asbury Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Asbury Avenue
15
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
16
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Calumet City, 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 3.1 and 34.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway
Merge onto I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway toward I 94 West: Chicago Loop
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West: Chicago Loop
8
14.7 mi into trip
|
~21m 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. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
7
26.3 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 47B
Toward Damen Avenue
7
34.9 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.46 one way
$10.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.99 | $11.98 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.72 | $13.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.71 | $15.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 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 | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.05 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.89 | $2.23 |
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
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Sunday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
1 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
56m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features zero percent highway share. You will spend your time navigating local roads, with no single uninterrupted stretch on Wentworth Avenue. The experience is defined by frequent turns and urban navigation rather than long-distance interstate speeds. Because the road conditions change as you transition between local corridors, you should stay alert at every intersection. This is a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention on the road rather than the passive driving found on major expressways.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on Bishop Ford Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bishop Ford Freeway and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in near I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 34.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
613 ft
572 ft
Total Climb
54 ft
Total Descent
28 ft
Highest Point
613 ft
~34.9 mi in
Elevation Range
41 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 56m. Total distance: 34.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on Bishop Ford Freeway. 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 Evanston, 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 3.1 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Evanston, 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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