Origin
Dolton, IL
Late night in Dolton on Tuesday
Local time
3:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dolton, 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
29.7 mi
48 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 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.
Dolton, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 29.7 miles across the Midwest, this trip from Dolton to Evanston is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, it serves perfectly as a quick day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $5 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly transit between these two Illinois locations. The route utilizes a mix of major expressways and local arterials, providing a direct path through the region. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a short excursion, the simplicity of this drive makes it easy to plan. Overall, it is a practical transit route that avoids the complexity of long-distance travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| North Western Avenue | 5.5 mi | 11m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| South Michigan Avenue | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Indiana Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Clybourn Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
— 7.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dolton, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on Lincoln Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
2
Continue on South Leyden Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
South Leyden Avenue
3
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Indiana Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto East 130th Street
335 ft
·
6 sec
·
East 130th Street
5
Continue on South Indiana Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Indiana Avenue
6
Turn left onto East 127th Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East 127th Street
7
Turn right onto South Michigan Avenue
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
South Michigan Avenue
8
Turn left onto South Wabash Avenue
170 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Wabash Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 94 West
10
Merge onto I 94
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
11
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
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.
13
Continue on I 90; I 94
3.7 mi
·
5 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 29.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East 130th Street
At end of road, turn left onto East 130th Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
South Wabash Avenue
Turn left onto South Wabash Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
9.4 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
21 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
7
29.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.72 | $11.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 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 | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
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
3:47 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
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
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 features a mixed profile, balancing high-speed transit with local navigation. You will spend about 51% of your time on highways, transitioning from the Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) to the Kennedy Expressway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 7.9-mile segment on the Dan Ryan, which offers a steady flow before you shift onto North Western Avenue. As you move away from the expressways, the character of the road changes, requiring more focused attention on local traffic patterns. It is not an interstate grind, but rather a blend of fast-paced lanes and urban street driving that keeps the experience varied.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express).
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 1.6 miles in near East 130th Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 29.7 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 1.6 miles (East 130th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (South Wabash Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Dolton, IL
Full guide →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: 29.7 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). 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 7.9 miles on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). 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 1.6 miles (East 130th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (South Wabash Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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