Origin
Joliet, IL
Morning in Joliet on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to Oak Lawn, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
29.2 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Oak Lawn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Joliet, IL to Oak Lawn, IL is 29.2 miles and takes about 47 minutes via I 80 and Southwest Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive within Illinois, perfect for a short trip or as part of a larger Midwest journey. Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from interstate travel to local roads. This route is ideal if you're looking for a quick and efficient way to get between these two locations without a significant time commitment. It’s a practical choice for local commuters or anyone needing to make this specific connection.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 12.4 mi | 15m |
| Southwest Highway | 8.1 mi | 12m |
| South La Grange Road | 5.5 mi | 10m |
| Chicago Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Central Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 95th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West 143rd Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 12.4 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Oak Lawn, 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
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Chicago Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 80 East: Gary Indiana
6
Merge onto I 80
12 mi
·
15 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 145
Toward US 45: La Grange Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
129 ft
·
5 sec
Toward US 45 North: La Grange Road, Orland Park
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto US 45
5.5 mi
·
10 min
·
South La Grange Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto West 143rd Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West 143rd Street
11
Turn slight right
131 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
12
Turn straight onto IL 7
8.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Southwest Highway
13
Turn right onto US 12; US 20
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 95th Street
14
Turn right onto South Central Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Central Avenue
15
Turn left onto 99th Place
514 ft
·
24 sec
·
99th Place
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Mulberry Avenue
262 ft
·
11 sec
·
Mulberry Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Mulberry Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.2 — 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
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 45: La Grange Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 145
Toward US 45: La Grange Road
8
14.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 45 North: La Grange Road, Orland Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 45 North: La Grange Road, Orland Park
5
14.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 45 / South La Grange Road
Turn left onto US 45 / South La Grange Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.57 one way
$9.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.62 | $11.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.45 | $12.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 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 | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
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
Oak Lawn, IL
Morning in Oak Lawn on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
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
47m 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?
This drive offers a mixed experience, with 42% of it being highway driving. You'll encounter stretches on I 80, including one uninterrupted segment of 12.4 miles, which provides a chance to maintain steady speeds. As you move off the interstate, the route transitions to roads like Southwest Highway and South La Grange Road, likely involving more local traffic and traffic signals. This shift means you'll experience varying driving conditions, from faster highway cruising to more stop-and-go urban travel as you approach your destination.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on I 80.
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 near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa 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 11 decision points packed into just 29.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Joliet, IL to Oak Lawn, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Orland Park along the way.
Orland Park
14.2 mi in
|
~19m
About the Cities
Starting in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Founded 1833
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
Arriving in Oak Lawn, IL
Full guide →Oak Lawn is a city of about 56,000 people (2016) in South Suburbs (Illinois), Chicagoland.
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 47m. Total distance: 29.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). 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 12.4 miles on I 80. 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 Oak Lawn, 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 (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Oak Lawn, 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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