Origin
Joliet, IL
Late night in Joliet on Tuesday
Local time
4:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to South Shore, 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
54m
Distance
39.1 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
South Shore, IL
Wallace Silva
Trip Overview
Joliet, IL to South Shore, IL is 39.1 miles and takes about 54 minutes via I 80 and I 57, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, highway-focused trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois. It’s a straightforward drive perfect for a quick commute or a brief regional excursion. Consider this route when you need to cover a moderate distance efficiently without venturing too far off the main thoroughfares. The drive is primarily on major interstates, making it a predictable and easy journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 18.7 mi | 22m |
| I 57 | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| East 87th Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Stony Island Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Chicago Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East 75th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 18.7 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and South Shore, 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
19 mi
·
22 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 151B
Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto I 57
13 mi
·
18 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 94
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 61B
Toward 87th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto South State Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South State Street
12
Turn right onto East 87th Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East 87th Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto South Stony Island Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Stony Island Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto East 75th Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
East 75th Street
15
Turn left onto South Baldwin Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Baldwin Avenue
16
Turn right onto East 74th Street
154 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 74th Street
17
Turn left onto South Euclid Avenue
471 ft
·
20 sec
·
South Euclid Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
South Euclid Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Joliet, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 37 — 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.
8
19.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 151B
Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wiscon...
7
34.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward 87th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 61B
Toward 87th Street
6
37 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
South Stony Island Avenue
Turn left onto South Stony Island Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.11 one way
$12.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.52 | $15.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.63 | $17.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
South Shore, IL
Late night in South Shore on Tuesday
Local time
4:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
Burbank, IL
20 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
8 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
54m 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 route is heavily highway-focused, with 84% of the drive on interstates. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I 80, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.7 miles. The journey begins on I 80 before transitioning to I 57, and finally utilizes East 87th Street for the last segment. Expect a consistent driving experience with higher speeds for most of the trip. The character remains predominantly that of a modern interstate highway for the majority of the 39.1 miles.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 57. 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 12 decision points packed into just 39.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
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 19.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 South Shore, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.
Wisconsin
19.9 mi in
|
~26m
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
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 54m. Total distance: 39.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.7 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 South Shore, 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 19.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 South Shore, 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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