The drive from Joliet, IL to Bellevue, IL covers 134.5 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, I 74, I 474 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.6 miles on I 55.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
67.2 miles from Joliet, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 15m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
86.6 mi
1h 33m
I 74
27.4 mi
29m
I 474
9.3 mi
9m
I 80
6.4 mi
7m
West Plank Road
1.3 mi
2m
South Airport Road
0.7 mi
1m
Ottawa Street
0.4 mi
1m
Chicago Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 86.6 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,464
Quietest
2 AM
~148 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 73 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Bellevue, IL.
1
Start on this road
111 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53
0.3 mi·43 sec·Ottawa Street
3
Continue on US 6; IL 53
0.1 mi·21 sec·Ottawa Street
4
Continue on US 6; IL 53
0.4 mi·1 min·Chicago Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
6
Merge onto I 80
6.4 mi·7 min·I 80
Use the right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Exit 126AToward I 55 South: Saint Louis
8
Merge onto I 55
87 mi·1 hr 33 min·I 55
Use the right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·49 sec
Toward I 74 West: PeoriaUse the slight right lane.
10
Continue on I 74
27 mi·29 min·I 74
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 474
9.3 mi·9 min·I 474
Exit 99Toward I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward Airport Road
13
Turn right onto South Airport Road
0.7 mi·1 min·South Airport Road
14
Turn sharp left onto IL 116
1.3 mi·2 min·West Plank Road
15
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.3 mi·1 min·South Main Street
16
Turn left onto West Closen Road
72 ft·3 sec·West Closen Road
17
Arrive at destination
West Closen Road
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 67.2 miles from Joliet, IL, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 30 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.2 miles or 1h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bellevue, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Joliet, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Joliet, IL
This is one driving day of about 134.5 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Joliet, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 86.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 122.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
7.6 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 126A
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
6
94.5 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward I 74 West: Peoria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 74 West: Peoria
7
122.5 mi into trip|~2h 15m in|I 474
Keep slight left at fork onto I 474 toward I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 99
Toward I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.85 one way
$41.71 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$22.87
$45.73
premium
$4.93
$26.10
$52.19
diesel
$5.60
$29.65
$59.30
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.4
0
$14.12
$6.46
Efficient EV
33.6
0
$11.77
$5.38
EV Truck/SUV
53.8
0
$18.83
$8.61
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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 Aug 31, 2026
Origin
Joliet, IL
Afternoon
in Joliet on Friday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
S 10 mph50% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 30 at 8:42PM CDT until August 31 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 30 at 8:06PM CDT until September 2 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Bellevue, IL
Afternoon
in Bellevue on Friday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Partly Cloudy
S 9 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 30 at 8:42PM CDT until August 31 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 30 at 8:06PM CDT until September 2 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
71°F
Bloomington, IL
67 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 31m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
134.5 mi in 2h 31m, mostly highway — 86.6 mi of that is on I 55.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.6 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 74. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 134.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
811 ft533 ft
Total Climb
390 ft
Total Descent
255 ft
Highest Point
811 ft
~96.1 mi in
Elevation Range
279 ft
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 Joliet, IL to Bellevue, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Island along the way.
Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Top landmarks
•Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
•Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
•Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 134.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.6 miles on I 55. 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 Bellevue, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 Bellevue, IL before heading back.
