Origin
Chicago Ridge, IL
Late night in Chicago Ridge on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chicago Ridge, IL to Evanston, 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
50m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago Ridge, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Chicago Ridge, IL to Evanston, IL is 28.4 miles and takes about 50m via South Cicero Avenue and Stevenson Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a relatively short trip, mostly on surface streets, making it a straightforward option for a quick excursion. You'll navigate through suburban and urban areas, so expect typical city driving conditions. This route is best suited for a single-day trip, allowing ample time for your activities upon arrival.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Cicero Avenue | 6.5 mi | 10m |
| North Western Avenue | 5.5 mi | 11m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| South Damen Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Ogden Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Southwest Highway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
South Cicero Avenue
— 6.5 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago Ridge, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on South Ridgeland Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ridgeland Avenue
2
Turn right onto Southwest Highway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Highway
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on West 93rd Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West 93rd Street
4
Turn left onto IL 50
6.5 mi
·
10 min
·
South Cicero Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
6
Merge onto I 55
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
440 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Damen Avenue
11
Turn right onto US 66 Hist
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Use the left lane.
13
Merge onto I 90; I 94
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn right onto North Damen Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Damen Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn slight left onto North Clybourn Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Clybourn Avenue
17
Turn right onto North Western Avenue
5.5 mi
·
11 min
·
North Western Avenue
18
Continue on Asbury Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Asbury Avenue
19
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
20
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 12.8 and 19.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
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 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
12.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
9
13.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
7
17.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Turn left toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
19.7 mi into trip
|
~33m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.44 one way
$8.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.87 | $9.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.47 | $10.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Late night in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
13 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
50m 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 drive is primarily on surface roads, with only about 17% of the route utilizing highways like the Stevenson Expressway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 6.5 miles on South Cicero Avenue, which will likely involve city traffic and intersections. Expect to transition from highway driving to surface streets, so be prepared for more frequent stops and variable speeds. The urban merging and exits on the highway portions will require your attention.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on South Cicero Avenue.
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 12.8 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 14 decision points packed into just 28.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 50m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m 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 6.5 miles on South Cicero Avenue. 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 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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