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Trip from Chicago, IL to Waterman, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 29m

Distance

63.5 mi

102 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 22m ★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Downtown Waterman, IL, IL

Waterman, IL

정규송 Nui MALAMA

Trip Overview

The drive from Chicago, IL to Waterman, IL covers 63.5 miles and takes about 1h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, US 30, Eisenhower Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.85 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 26.9 mi 32m
US 30 17.2 mi 26m
Eisenhower Expressway 12.1 mi 16m
IL 56 4.2 mi 5m
South Ashland Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
West Cermak Road 0.8 mi 1m
North Elm Street 0.2 mi <1m
West Van Buren Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 26.9 mi, about 32m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Waterman, IL.

1

Start on this road

0.2 mi · 1 min · this road
2

At end of road, turn left onto West Cermak Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Cermak Road
3

Turn right onto South Ashland Avenue

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Ashland Avenue
4

Turn left onto West Van Buren Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · West Van Buren Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Toward I 290 West
6

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

12 mi · 16 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110

1.9 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight left lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

25 mi · 30 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road) Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto IL 56

4.2 mi · 5 min · IL 56
Exit 113 Toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove Use the slight right lane.
10

Continue on US 30

17 mi · 26 min · US 30
Use the left lane.
11

Turn right onto North Elm Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Elm Street
12

Arrive at destination

North Elm Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Naperville, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Naperville, IL

32 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

Elmhurst, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Naperville, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.8 miles from Chicago, 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 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 42 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Cermak Road

At end of road, turn left onto West Cermak Road

Navigation decision point

6
2.7 mi into trip | ~6m in | West Van Buren Street

Turn left onto West Van Buren Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
9
15 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
16.9 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
42 mi into trip | ~56m in | IL 56

Keep slight right at fork onto IL 56 toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 113 Toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.85 one way

$19.69 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $10.80 $21.59
premium $4.93 $12.32 $24.64
diesel $5.60 $14.00 $28.00

Estimated Tolls: $1.61

Reagan Memorial Tollway (26.9 mi) $1.61

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$2

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.1 0 $6.67 $3.05
Efficient EV 15.9 0 $5.56 $2.54
EV Truck/SUV 25.4 0 $8.89 $4.06

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Forecast as of Aug 29, 2026

Origin

Chicago, IL

Evening in Chicago on Saturday

Local time

8:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Partly Cloudy

SSW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:55PM CDT until August 30 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:36PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN

Destination

Waterman, IL

Evening in Waterman on Saturday

Local time

8:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Partly Cloudy

SSW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:55PM CDT until August 30 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:36PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN

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

8 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 29m 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?

63.5 mi in 1h 29m — 53% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.9 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

759 ft 586 ft

Total Climb

234 ft

Total Descent

63 ft

Highest Point

759 ft

~59 mi in

Elevation Range

173 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Chicago, IL and Waterman, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).

Indiana

15 mi in | ~23m | via I 88; IL 110

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

16.9 mi in | ~26m | via I 88; IL 110

About the Cities

Starting 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

Arriving in Waterman, IL

Full guide →

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 29m. Total distance: 63.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (53%). 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 26.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.61 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan 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 Waterman, 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 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): 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 Waterman, 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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