Origin
Merrillville, IN
Late night in Merrillville on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Merrillville, IN to Gary, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
9.3 mi
15 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Merrillville, IN
Choco Kitty
Gary, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through Northwest Indiana, this 9.3-mile trip from Merrillville to Gary is a straightforward local connection. You can expect to complete the drive in approximately 19 minutes, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day journey. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the transit. Budgeting is simple for this short distance, as your fuel costs should hover around $1. Given the brevity of the trip, you do not need to worry about overnight logistics or complex planning. It serves as a practical, no-nonsense route for commuters or travelers moving between these two Indiana locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Broadway | 3.6 mi | 8m |
| Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| West 45th Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 15th Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Harrison Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Indian Trail | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 10th Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Broadway
— 3.6 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Merrillville, IN and Gary, IN.
1
Start on Indian Trail
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Indian Trail
2
At end of road, turn right onto SR 53
3.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Broadway
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto West 45th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 45th Avenue
4
Turn right onto Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
5
Turn right onto West 15th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
West 15th Avenue
6
Turn left onto Harrison Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Boulevard
7
Turn right onto 10th Place
254 ft
·
11 sec
·
10th Place
8
Arrive at destination
10th Place
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 9.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 53 / Broadway
At end of road, turn right onto SR 53 / Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
3.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
West 45th Avenue
Turn left onto West 45th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
8.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
West 15th Avenue
Turn right onto West 15th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
8.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Harrison Boulevard
Turn left onto Harrison Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
9.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
10th Place
Turn right onto 10th Place
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.45 one way
$2.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.60 | $3.19 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.79 | $3.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.05 | $4.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.98 | $0.45 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.81 | $0.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Gary, IN
Late night in Gary on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
13 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
19m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway driving. You will navigate your way using Broadway, Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard, and West 45th Avenue to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 3.6-mile segment on Broadway, which keeps the pace consistent but requires your full attention at intersections. Since the entire route consists of local roads, you will get a direct, ground-level view of the transit corridors connecting these municipalities. Be prepared for frequent stops and turns, as the character of this road is defined by its urban, local nature.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.6 mi on Broadway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near SR 53 / Broadway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 19m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (SR 53 / Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (West 45th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles (West 15th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 9.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.6 miles on Broadway. 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: at 0.2 miles (SR 53 / Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (West 45th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles (West 15th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National 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 Gary, IN 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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