Origin
Hammond, IN
Night in Hammond on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hammond, 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
30m
Distance
17.7 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portage, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 17.7-mile drive from Hammond to Portage, Indiana, can be completed in about 30 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Borman Expressway, Central Avenue, and 173rd Street, with about half of the journey on highway roads. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop is a modest $3, reflecting its minimal distance. Given the short duration, no overnight stay is necessary, and you'll remain within the Midwest region throughout your travel. This route is perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Borman Expressway | 8.7 mi | 11m |
| Central Avenue | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| 173rd Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Southeastern Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Indianapolis Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Columbia Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 175th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Borman Expressway
— 8.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hammond, IN and Portage, IN.
1
Start on Columbia Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Avenue
2
Turn left onto 173rd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
173rd Street
3
Turn right onto Southeastern Avenue
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Southeastern Avenue
4
Turn left onto 175th Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
175th Street
5
Turn right onto SR 152
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Indianapolis Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit
7
Merge onto I 80; I 94; US 6
8.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Borman Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 12-13
Toward I 65 North: Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 13
Toward Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto Central Avenue
4.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Central Avenue
12
Continue on Central Avenue
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
173rd Street
Turn left onto 173rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 80; I 94; US 6 / Borman Expressway
Merge onto I 80; I 94; US 6 / Borman Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 65 North: Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12-13
Toward I 65 North: Central Avenue
6
11 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit...
8
11.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Central Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward Central Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.77 one way
$5.53 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.04 | $6.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.41 | $6.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.91 | $7.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.55 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Portage, IN
Night in Portage on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
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
18 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
30m 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 mixed driving experience on this 17.7-mile journey, with 50% of the route utilizing highway speeds. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles on the Borman Expressway, offering a chance to settle into a consistent pace. Beyond the expressway, you'll transition to surface streets like Central Avenue and 173rd Street, which will likely involve more varied traffic patterns and potentially traffic signals. This combination means you'll experience both efficient highway travel and the more stop-and-go nature of local road navigation.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on Borman Expressway.
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 around 0.2 miles in near 173rd Street.
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 9 decision points packed into just 17.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (173rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (I 80; I 94; US 6 / Borman Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 17.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on Borman Expressway. 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 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: at 0.2 miles (173rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (I 80; I 94; US 6 / Borman Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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