The drive from Joliet, IL to Orion, IL covers 135.3 miles and takes about 2h 33m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, East 200th Street, US 6 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 123.1 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.98 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
67.6 miles from Joliet, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
123.1 mi
2h 13m
East 200th Street
6.1 mi
8m
US 6
3.3 mi
4m
US 150
1.1 mi
1m
Ottawa Street
0.4 mi
1m
Chicago Street
0.4 mi
1m
10th Avenue
0.3 mi
1m
4th Street
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 123.1 mi, about 2h 13m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~796 veh/hr typical
· worst 980
Quietest
2 AM
~139 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 97 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 Orion, 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
122 mi·2 hr 11 min·I 80
Use the right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
1.1 mi·1 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Davenport
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward US 6
9
Turn left onto US 6
3.3 mi·4 min·US 6
10
Turn left onto East 200th Street
6.1 mi·8 min·East 200th Street
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 150
1.1 mi·1 min·US 150
12
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·10th Avenue
13
Turn right onto 4th Street
15 ft·0 sec·4th Street
14
Arrive at destination
4th Street
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 67.6 miles from Joliet, IL, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 123.1 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 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.6 miles or 1h 14m 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Orion, 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 135.3 miles and 2h 33m.
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 80 for about 123.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 67.6 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 123.1 miles.
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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 124.3 — 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
4
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
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
123.2 mi into trip|~2h 14m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 West: Davenport
4
124.3 mi into trip|~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward US 6
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 6
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.98 one way
$41.95 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$23.00
$46.00
premium
$4.93
$26.25
$52.50
diesel
$5.60
$29.82
$59.65
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: 47.3 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
40.6
0
$14.21
$6.49
Efficient EV
33.8
0
$11.84
$5.41
EV Truck/SUV
54.1
0
$18.94
$8.66
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 Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Joliet, IL
Afternoon
in Joliet on Friday
Local time
4:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
WSW 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Orion, IL
Afternoon
in Orion on Friday
Local time
4:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
SW 10 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:11PM CDT until September 1 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
3 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
2h 33m 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?
135.3 mi in 2h 33m, mostly highway — 123.1 mi of that is on I 80.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 123.1 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and East 200th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 33m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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
The longest stretch is about 123.1 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 80): 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 Orion, IL before heading back.
