Origin
Downers Grove, IL
Late night in Downers Grove on Sunday
Local time
2:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Downers Grove, IL to Joliet, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
27.1 mi
44 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 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Downers Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Downers Grove to Joliet is a straightforward 23.7-mile journey that typically takes about 35 minutes of travel time. Because this is a quick trip within the Midwest, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. Budgeting roughly $4 for fuel will cover your transit across these Illinois communities. Navigating via Ogden Avenue and I-355 South, also known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway, makes for an efficient transit between these two points. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a short getaway, the brevity of this drive offers significant flexibility to your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 17.9 mi | 20m |
| Maple Road | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Ogden Avenue | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| North Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 17.9 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Downers Grove, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on Main Street
37 ft
·
4 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto US 34
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Ogden Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
7
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
8
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
9
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 34 / Ogden Avenue
Turn right onto US 34 / Ogden Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 South: Joliet
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
20.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
4
26.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
IL 53 / North Ottawa Street
Turn left onto IL 53 / North Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.24 one way
$8.47 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.65 | $9.30 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.22 | $10.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.25
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(17.9 mi)
$1.25
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 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 | 8.1 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Joliet, IL
Late night in Joliet on Sunday
Local time
2:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
17 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
39m 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 that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend your time navigating a mix of local roads and highway segments, though the highway share is effectively zero for the duration of the trip. Since the longest uninterrupted stretch on Ogden Avenue is 0 miles, you should be prepared for frequent adjustments and turns. The route maintains a functional, urban feel as you transition through the Illinois landscape. Being behind the wheel here means staying alert to the changing local traffic patterns rather than settling into a long-haul rhythm.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 34 / Ogden Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 34 / Ogden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Founded 1833
Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Top landmarks
- • Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
- • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
- • Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois
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 39m. Total distance: 27.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.9 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.25 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans 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.
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 2.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Joliet, 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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