Origin
East Chicago, IN
Late night in East Chicago on Sunday
Local time
5:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from East Chicago, IN to Portage, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.9 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Chicago, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Portage, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition within the Midwest, the 18.9-mile journey from East Chicago to Portage is an efficient connection. Expect to spend about 26 minutes behind the wheel, making this a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stops. Your route utilizes a combination of the Indiana Toll Road, East Columbus Drive, and Cline Avenue. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $3, it is a very economical trip to plan. Given the short duration, you have total flexibility to complete this drive whenever it fits your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Toll Road | 13.1 mi | 14m |
| East Columbus Drive | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Cline Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Willowcreek Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| US 12 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Gary Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Indiana Toll Road
— 13.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Chicago, IN and Portage, IN.
1
Start on US 12
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
East Columbus Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Enter roundabout onto US 12
23 ft
·
0 sec
·
Cline Avenue
3
Continue on US 12
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Cline Avenue
4
Take the ramp onto US 12
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
US 12
Toward SR 912 South: Cline Avenue
5
Merge onto US 12; SR 912
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Cline Avenue
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 7
Toward I 90 Toll Road: Gary Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto Cline Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Cline Avenue
8
Keep slight left at fork
238 ft
·
6 sec
9
Turn left onto Gary Road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Gary Road
10
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 90
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
2 min
Exit 23
Toward Portage
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
155 ft
·
10 sec
15
Turn left onto Willowcreek Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Willowcreek Road
16
Turn left onto Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Central Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17 — 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.
7
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 90 Toll Road: Gary Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward I 90 Toll Road: Gary Avenue
7
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 East
5
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge onto I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Portage
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 23
Toward Portage
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.24 | $6.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.64 | $7.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.17 | $8.35 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.92
Indiana Toll Road
(13.1 mi)
$0.92
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.98 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Portage, IN
Late night in Portage on Sunday
Local time
5:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
15 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
26m 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 trip is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, requiring you to stay focused as you navigate transitions between major thoroughfares. Because the route is composed entirely of highway driving, you will spend your time moving quickly between points rather than on slow surface streets. You will find your longest uninterrupted segment on the Indiana Toll Road, which spans 13.1 miles. Transitioning between these specific roads creates a fast-paced environment where the road layout changes frequently. Be prepared for a functional, direct commute that prioritizes speed over leisure.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.1 mi on Indiana Toll Road.
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 early in the drive near US 12 / East Columbus Drive.
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 18.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 12 / East Columbus Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 18.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.1 miles on Indiana Toll Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.92 in tolls one way, starting with Indiana Toll Road. 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 Portage, IN 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 12 / East Columbus Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Portage, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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