Origin
Merrionette Park, IL
Evening in Merrionette Park on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Merrionette Park, IL to Chicago, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
16.6 mi
27 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Merrionette Park, IL
Thiago Oliveira
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are looking to get from Merrionette Park to Chicago, you are in for a quick, straightforward journey of just 17.4 miles. Expect the drive to take about 26 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $3 for fuel should be more than enough to cover the distance given the short nature of the transit. Since both locations are situated within the Midwest, you will stay within familiar regional territory the entire time. This route is highly practical for commuters or anyone needing to reach the city center efficiently without the need for extensive travel planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| I 57 | 3 mi | 3m |
| West 111th Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| South Kedzie Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Monterey Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Canalport Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
— 6.2 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Merrionette Park, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on this road
33 ft
·
2 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
52 ft
·
5 sec
3
Turn right onto South Kedzie Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Kedzie Avenue
4
Turn right onto West 111th Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
West 111th Street
5
Continue on West Monterey Avenue
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
West Monterey Avenue
6
Turn left onto South Vincennes Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Vincennes Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto West 111th Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West 111th Street
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 57 North: Chicago Loop
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 57
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn slight left onto South Ruble Street
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Ruble Street
14
Turn slight left
75 ft
·
4 sec
15
Turn left onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
16
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
17
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
18
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
19
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 15.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
South Vincennes Avenue
Turn left onto South Vincennes Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 57 North: Chicago Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 57 North: Chicago Loop
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
8
15.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
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 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.60 one way
$5.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.85 | $5.70 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.19 | $6.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.67 | $7.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.80 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.45 | $0.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Chicago, IL
Evening in Chicago on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
4 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
26m 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 17.4-mile trip is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for constant maneuvering through local streets rather than cruising on open pavement. You won't encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches, meaning you will need to stay alert for frequent turns and intersection navigation. The personality of this drive is strictly functional, reflecting a typical urban transition from the outskirts into the heart of Chicago. It lacks the monotony of long-distance highway travel, requiring your full attention as you navigate the local road network.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.2 mi on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express).
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) and Dan Ryan Expressway. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near South Vincennes Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.6 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (South Vincennes Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
636 ft
569 ft
Total Climb
49 ft
Total Descent
84 ft
Highest Point
636 ft
~1.2 mi in
Elevation Range
67 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Merrionette Park, IL
Full guide →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 26m. Total distance: 16.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m 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 6.2 miles on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). 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 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 2.4 miles (South Vincennes Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (I 57): 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 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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