Mendota to Joliet is 71.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 22 minutes via I 80 and I 39, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Given its relatively short distance and predominantly highway profile, it's a straightforward drive. You'll find it to be a practical option for connecting these two Illinois locations, with minimal complication.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
53.2 mi
57m
I 39
12.8 mi
13m
North 43rd Road
1.5 mi
2m
12th Street
1 mi
1m
6th Avenue
0.6 mi
<1m
West Jefferson Street
0.3 mi
<1m
South Center Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Hickory Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 53.2 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mendota, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on 7th Avenue
124 ft·7 sec·7th Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 34
403 ft·14 sec·6th Street
3
Turn left onto US 34
0.6 mi·51 sec·6th Avenue
4
Continue on US 34
1.0 mi·1 min·12th Street
5
Continue on US 34
1.5 mi·2 min·North 43rd Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 39 South, US 51 South: LaSalle, Peru
7
Merge onto I 39; US 51
13 mi·13 min·I 39; US 51
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·58 sec
Exit 59AToward I 80 East: Chicago
9
Merge onto I 80
53 mi·57 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 131Toward Center Street
11
Continue on South Center Street
0.3 mi·38 sec·South Center Street
12
Continue on Hickory Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·Hickory Street
13
Turn right onto US 30
0.3 mi·51 sec·West Jefferson Street
14
Turn left onto Joliet Street
174 ft·6 sec·Joliet Street
15
Turn right
272 ft·19 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 35.9 miles from Mendota, 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 70.1 — 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 34 / 6th Street
Turn right onto US 34 / 6th Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.2 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 39 South, US 51 South: LaSalle, Peru
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 39 South, US 51 South: LaSalle, Peru
5
16.4 mi into trip|~19m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 59A
Toward I 80 East: Chicago
5
16.8 mi into trip|~20m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
70.1 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward Center Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.21 one way
$22.42 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$12.31
$24.62
premium
$4.89
$13.80
$27.60
diesel
$5.61
$15.83
$31.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.5
0
$7.53
$3.44
Efficient EV
17.9
0
$6.27
$2.87
EV Truck/SUV
28.7
0
$10.04
$4.59
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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 21, 2026
Origin
Mendota, IL
Late night
in Mendota on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:30PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:30PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Joliet, IL
Late night
in Joliet on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:30PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:30PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
1 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
1h 22m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is heavily weighted towards highway driving, with 92% of the trip on major roads. You'll spend most of your time on I 80, including a continuous stretch of 53.2 miles. The transition to surface roads like North 43rd Road will happen towards the end of your drive. Expect frequent exits and interchanges as you approach Joliet.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 53.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 39. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 34 / 6th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 22m 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 34 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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 53.2 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 34 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.4 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 Joliet, IL before heading back.
