Origin
Frankfort Square, IL
Late night in Frankfort Square on Tuesday
Local time
5:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frankfort Square, IL to Chicago, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
29.8 mi
48 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 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frankfort Square, IL
Quang Vuong
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Frankfort Square to downtown Chicago, you are facing a manageable 29.8-mile journey. Under normal traffic conditions, this drive typically takes about 44 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You should budget approximately $4 for fuel to cover this distance, which remains entirely within the Midwest region. Since the trip is relatively short, there is no need to worry about overnight lodging or splitting the travel time. This route is best viewed as a straightforward transit between the suburbs and the city, offering a practical way to reach your destination without the need for multiple stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| I 80 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Harlem Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West Saint Francis Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Canalport Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 13.4 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frankfort Square, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on Jamison Drive
509 ft
·
27 sec
·
Jamison Drive
2
Turn left onto Frankfort Square Road
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Frankfort Square Road
3
Turn right onto West Saint Francis Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Saint Francis Road
4
Turn left onto IL 43
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Harlem Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 East
6
Merge onto I 80
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 80
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 151B
Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto I 57
13 mi
·
18 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn slight left onto South Ruble Street
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Ruble Street
13
Turn slight left
75 ft
·
4 sec
14
Turn left onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
15
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
16
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
17
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
18
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 28.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Frankfort Square Road
Turn left onto Frankfort Square Road
Navigation decision point
8
5.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 151B
Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wiscon...
5
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
8
28.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
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 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.66 one way
$9.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.12 | $10.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.73 | $11.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.58 | $13.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 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 | 8.9 | 0 | $3.13 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.61 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $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.
Destination
Chicago, IL
Late night in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
5:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago 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
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
44m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Because the highway share for this route is 0%, you will spend your time navigating through local roads rather than long, monotonous stretches of asphalt. This profile means you should stay alert, as the lack of a highway transition implies frequent changes in road conditions and navigation requirements. With no specific longest stretch to mention, the drive maintains a consistent, localized rhythm from start to finish. You will experience a steady, urban-adjacent commute that rewards careful attention to local signage and traffic patterns.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.4 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Frankfort Square Road.
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 13 decision points packed into just 29.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Frankfort Square Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Frankfort Square, IL to Chicago, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.
Wisconsin
5.3 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Starting in Frankfort Square, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
- • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
- • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs
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 44m. Total distance: 29.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.4 miles on I 57. 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 Chicago, 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: at 0.1 miles (Frankfort Square Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles (I 57): 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 Chicago, 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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