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Trip from Lemont, IL to Chicago, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

25.2 mi

41 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

historic village spanning Cook, DuPage and Will Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois

Lemont, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Trip Overview

Lemont, IL to Chicago, IL is 25.2 miles and takes about 38m via Adlai Stevenson Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip connecting two points within Illinois's Midwest region. You'll be spending most of your time on major expressways, making it an efficient option for getting from point A to point B. Given its short distance and predictable duration, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing ample time for your activities in Chicago.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 15.2 mi 20m
Stevenson Expressway 3.6 mi 4m
Lemont Road 2.7 mi 4m
West Cermak Road 0.8 mi 1m
South Damen Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
South Blue Island Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
State Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Illinois Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 15.2 mi, about 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lemont, IL and Chicago, IL.

1

Start on West New Avenue

481 ft · 14 sec · West New Avenue
2

Turn left onto Lockport Street

138 ft · 2 sec · Lockport Street
Use the left lane.
3

Turn slight left onto East Illinois Street

490 ft · 15 sec · East Illinois Street
4

Turn left onto State Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · State Street
5

Continue on Lemont Road

2.7 mi · 4 min · Lemont Road
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
7

Merge onto I 55

15 mi · 20 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 55

3.6 mi · 4 min · Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 290 Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

440 ft · 12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue Use the left lane.
12

Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Damen Avenue
13

Turn right onto South Blue Island Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Blue Island Avenue
14

Turn right onto West Cermak Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Cermak Road
15

Turn right

152 ft · 11 sec
16

Turn right

0.2 mi · 58 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 22.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Lockport Street

Turn left onto Lockport Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
3.5 mi into trip | ~6m in | I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge onto I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
22.4 mi into trip | ~31m in

Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 290 Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
22.5 mi into trip | ~32m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Damen Avenue
9
22.8 mi into trip | ~32m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.94 one way

$7.88 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.33 $8.65
premium $4.89 $4.85 $9.70
diesel $5.61 $5.56 $11.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.6 0 $2.65 $1.21
Efficient EV 6.3 0 $2.20 $1.01
EV Truck/SUV 10.1 0 $3.53 $1.61

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Lemont, IL

Morning in Lemont on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chicago, IL

Morning in Chicago on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy

WNW 15 to 20 mph 20% chance 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

12 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

38m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with about 75% of the route utilizing expressways. You'll experience the efficiency of major roadways, including the Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Stevenson Expressway, for the longest stretch of 15.2 miles. Expect a consistent driving experience characterized by higher speeds and multiple lanes. While the majority of the journey is on these high-speed roads, there are segments on local roads like Lemont Road that provide a brief change of pace before rejoining the expressway system.

75% 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: 15.2 mi on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Stevenson Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lockport Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 25.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lockport Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

About the Cities

Arriving in Chicago, IL

Full guide →

Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.

Top landmarks

  • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
  • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
  • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs

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 38m. Total distance: 25.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.2 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 8 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Chicago, 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: at 0.1 miles (Lockport Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 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 Chicago, 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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