Origin
East Chicago, IN
Morning in East Chicago on Sunday
Local time
10:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from East Chicago, IN to City of Gary, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
13m
Distance
7.2 mi
12 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 14m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Chicago, IN
Wikimedia Commons
City of Gary, IN
Артем Дворецкий
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick transit between East Chicago and Gary, Indiana, you are looking at a brief 7.2-mile journey. This trip typically takes about 13 minutes to complete, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. You will navigate primarily via local surface streets, including Airport Road, East Columbus Drive, and West 5th Avenue, rather than utilizing interstate systems. With a fuel budget of just $1, this is an incredibly economical route within the Midwest. Since the entire drive is so short, there is no need for an overnight stay or complex logistics. It serves as a straightforward, practical connection between two neighboring cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| East Columbus Drive | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West 5th Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 4th Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West 8th Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Industrial Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Airport Road
— 2.9 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Chicago, IN and City of Gary, IN.
1
Start on US 12
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
East Columbus Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Enter roundabout onto Airport Road
103 ft
·
1 sec
·
Airport Road
3
Continue on Airport Road
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Airport Road
4
Continue on West 4th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 4th Avenue
5
Turn right onto Industrial Highway
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Industrial Highway
6
Turn slight left onto US 12; US 20
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn right onto Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
8
Turn left onto West 8th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 8th Avenue
9
Turn right
342 ft
·
25 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 7.1 — 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 12 / East Columbus Drive
Depart onto US 12 / East Columbus Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
1.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Airport Road
Enter roundabout onto Airport Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
6.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
Turn right onto Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
6.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
West 8th Avenue
Turn left onto West 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
7.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.13 one way
$2.25 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.24 | $2.47 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.39 | $2.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.59 | $3.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.76 | $0.35 |
| Efficient EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.63 | $0.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
City of Gary, IN
Morning in City of Gary on Sunday
Local time
10:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
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
13m 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 keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than settling into a long highway cruise. Because this route involves zero highway driving, you will spend the entire 13 minutes navigating city infrastructure. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 2.9-mile segment on Airport Road, so prepare for frequent changes in direction. The character of the road is strictly urban and functional, requiring your full attention as you transition through the local street network. It lacks the monotony of a high-speed interstate, offering instead a direct, technical experience through the heart of the region.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.9 mi on Airport Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 12 / East Columbus Drive.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 13m drive. You will face about 7 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 12 / East Columbus Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (Airport Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.2 miles (Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 13m. Total distance: 7.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
13m 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 2.9 miles on Airport Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 12 / East Columbus Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (Airport Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.2 miles (Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National 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 City of Gary, IN 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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