Origin
Downers Grove, IL
Late night in Downers Grove on Sunday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Downers Grove, IL to Calumet City, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
33.2 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Downers Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Calumet City, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Downers Grove to Calumet City is 33.2 miles and takes about 52 minutes via Tri-State Tollway, West Sibley Boulevard, and Ogden Avenue, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. The profile indicates a route with frequent turns, suggesting you'll navigate local roads more than major highways. With a relatively short duration of under an hour, it's an easy drive for a quick transition between these two suburban areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 17.5 mi | 21m |
| West Sibley Boulevard | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Ogden Avenue | 4.9 mi | 10m |
| West 147th Street | 3 mi | 5m |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Wentworth Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Pulaski Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 17.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Downers Grove, IL and Calumet City, IL.
1
Start on Main Street
37 ft
·
9 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 34
4.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Ogden Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana
4
Merge onto I 294
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
7
Continue on I 294
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8
Toward IL 83: 147th Street, Sibley Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto IL 83
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West 147th Street
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on IL 83
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
West Sibley Boulevard
11
Turn right onto Wentworth Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wentworth Avenue
12
Turn left onto Pulaski Road
114 ft
·
3 sec
·
Pulaski Road
13
Arrive at destination
Pulaski Road
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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.6 miles from Downers Grove, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.1 — 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
|
US 34 / Ogden Avenue
Turn left onto US 34 / Ogden Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
23.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward IL 83: 147th Street, Sibley Boulevard
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 8
Toward IL 83: 147th Street, Sibley Boulevard
4
24.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
IL 83 / West 147th Street
Turn left onto IL 83 / West 147th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
33.1 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Pulaski Road
Turn left onto Pulaski Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.19 one way
$10.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.70 | $11.40 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.39 | $12.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.06
Tri-state Tollway
(17.5 mi)
$1.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
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
Calumet City, IL
Late night in Calumet City on Sunday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
WNW 15 to 20 mph
26% chance
Live forecast
67°F
Burbank, IL
17 mi 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
1 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
52m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with no highway share, meaning you'll be navigating surface streets for the entire 33.2 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.5 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, which will likely be your main artery for a significant portion of the journey before transitioning to West Sibley Boulevard and Ogden Avenue. Expect a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments to speed and direction as you move through various local communities.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 34 / Ogden Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 33.2 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: near the start (US 34 / Ogden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Downers Grove, IL
Full guide →Founded 1832
Downers Grove is a village in Chicagoland. With a 2005 population of 49,000, Downers Grove has developed into a major Chicago suburb. It contains the headquarters of many major companies, including Sara Lee and Butterball, and has a bustling, trendy downtown.
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 52m. Total distance: 33.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m 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 17.5 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.06 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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 Calumet City, 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: near the start (US 34 / Ogden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Calumet City, 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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