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Trip from Evanston, IL to Dolton, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

50m

Distance

29.9 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

Save up to 12 min
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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suburban city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Evanston, IL

Wikimedia Commons

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Dolton, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning 29.9 miles from Evanston to Dolton, this Illinois trip is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, it is perfect for a one-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will navigate a mix of major thoroughfares, including the Dan Ryan Expressway, North Western Avenue, and South Michigan Avenue. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $5, the trip is an economical option for traveling across this part of the Midwest. Whether you are heading south for business or personal errands, the route offers a practical connection between these two locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 8.3 mi 11m
North Western Avenue 5.5 mi 11m
South Michigan Avenue 4 mi 7m
Kennedy Expressway 3.6 mi 5m
Dan Ryan Expressway 2.4 mi 2m
Asbury Avenue 1.5 mi 2m
South Indiana Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
North Damen Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) — 8.3 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Dolton, IL.

1

Start on this road

197 ft · 21 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn left

139 ft · 15 sec
3

At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street

213 ft · 14 sec · Dempster Street
4

Turn left onto Asbury Avenue

1.5 mi · 2 min · Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
5

Continue on North Western Avenue

5.5 mi · 11 min · North Western Avenue
6

Turn left onto North Clybourn Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Clybourn Avenue
Use the left lane.
7

Turn right onto North Damen Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Damen Avenue
8

Turn left onto West Webster Avenue

139 ft · 2 sec · West Webster Avenue
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
10

Merge onto I 90; I 94

3.6 mi · 5 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 90; I 94

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94

8.3 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 62 Toward US 12, US 20: 95th Street, Chicago State University Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn straight onto South Lafayette Avenue

0.1 mi · 15 sec · South Lafayette Avenue
15

Turn left onto US 12; US 20

0.2 mi · 32 sec · West 95th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16

Turn right onto South Michigan Avenue

4.0 mi · 7 min · South Michigan Avenue
Use the straight lane.
17

At end of road, turn left onto East 127th Street

0.1 mi · 12 sec · East 127th Street
18

Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue

0.3 mi · 31 sec · South Indiana Avenue
19

Turn left onto East 130th Street

344 ft · 11 sec · East 130th Street
20

Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · South Indiana Avenue
21

Turn left onto South Leyden Avenue

0.2 mi · 32 sec · South Leyden Avenue
22

Continue on Lincoln Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Avenue
23

Arrive at destination

Lincoln Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

At end of road, turn left

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Asbury Avenue

Turn left onto Asbury Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
14.8 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express

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
8
23.2 mi into trip | ~37m in

Take the exit toward US 12, US 20: 95th Street, Chicago State University

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 62 Toward US 12, US 20: 95th Street, Chicago State...
6
23.8 mi into trip | ~39m in | South Michigan Avenue

Turn right onto South Michigan Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.67 one way

$9.35 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.13 $10.26
premium $4.89 $5.75 $11.51
diesel $5.61 $6.60 $13.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 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 9 0 $3.14 $1.44
Efficient EV 7.5 0 $2.62 $1.20
EV Truck/SUV 12 0 $4.19 $1.91

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.

Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026

Origin

Evanston, IL

Late night in Evanston on Tuesday

Local time

5:49 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SSW 25 mph 21% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 1:25PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 12:16PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Dolton, IL

Late night in Dolton on Tuesday

Local time

5:49 AM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 25 mph 12% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 1:25PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 12:16PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

4 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

50m 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?

Expect a varied experience as you transition between high-speed infrastructure and local urban roads. Roughly 48% of your journey will be spent on highways, providing a blend of fast-paced transit and slower, more deliberate driving. Your longest uninterrupted segment occurs on the Dan Ryan Expressway, where you will cover 8.3 miles. The drive is classified as a mixed-profile route, meaning you should be prepared for changing traffic patterns as you move off the expressway and onto city streets. This combination keeps the drive from feeling like a monotonous grind, requiring you to remain alert as the road character shifts.

48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 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 early in the drive.

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 17 decision points packed into just 29.9 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: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Evanston, IL to Dolton, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago State University along the way.

Chicago State University

23.2 mi in | ~37m

About the Cities

Starting 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

Arriving in Dolton, IL

Full guide →

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: 29.9 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 (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.3 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 Dolton, 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dolton, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Dolton, IL to Evanston, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

29.7 mi 50m

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