Origin
Gilmer, IL
Late night in Gilmer on Tuesday
Local time
3:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilmer, 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
1h 1m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilmer, IL
Pho Tomass
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are looking to get from Gilmer to Chicago, you are in for a quick trip covering just 41.4 miles. Expect to spend about 57 minutes behind the wheel, making this a straightforward drive that is perfect for a single-day excursion. You won't need to worry about lodging or overnight planning for such a short journey. With an estimated fuel cost of only $6, it is an incredibly budget-friendly way to navigate through the Illinois Midwest. Since there are no required stops, you have the freedom to head straight to your destination without interruption.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 13.7 mi | 17m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| Edens Spur | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| US 45 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Indian Creek Road | 2 mi | 5m |
| West Half Day Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.7 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilmer, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on V76
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Gilmer Road
2
Turn left onto Indian Creek Road
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Indian Creek Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto North Diamond Lake Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Diamond Lake Road
4
Turn right onto IL 60; IL 83
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 60; IL 83
5
Continue on US 45
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
US 45
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on Olde Half Day Road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Olde Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
7
At end of road, turn left onto IL 22
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana
9
Merge onto I 94
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Edens Spur
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
11
Continue on I 94; US 41
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
16
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
17
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
18
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
19
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
20
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Gilmer, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 40.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
North Diamond Lake Road
At end of road, turn left onto North Diamond Lake Road
Navigation decision point
4
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
IL 60; IL 83
Turn right onto IL 60; IL 83
Navigation decision point
5
7.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
IL 22 / West Half Day Road
At end of road, turn left onto IL 22 / West Half Day Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
12.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 94 / Edens Spur
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
7
40.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.49 one way
$12.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.12 | $14.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.99 | $15.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.18
Tri-state Tollway
(2.9 mi)
$0.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Chicago, IL
Late night in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
3:14 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
59°F
Northfield, IL
21 mi in
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
2 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
1h 1m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Because this route features a 0% highway share, you will be navigating local roads for the entire 41.4-mile duration. This lack of highway time means you should anticipate a more deliberate pace compared to typical cross-country travel. You will experience a technical, hands-on driving experience that requires more constant attention to turns and local traffic patterns. It is a practical, no-frills journey that keeps you off the main interstates.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on Edens Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Edens Expressway and Kennedy Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near North Diamond Lake Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41.5 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (North Diamond Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (IL 60; IL 83): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles (IL 22 / West Half Day Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
812 ft
565 ft
Total Climb
65 ft
Total Descent
289 ft
Highest Point
812 ft
Elevation Range
247 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Gilmer, 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 1h 1m. Total distance: 41.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.18 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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.
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 2.2 miles (North Diamond Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (IL 60; IL 83): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles (IL 22 / West Half Day Road): 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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