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Trip from Montgomery, IL to Joliet, 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

42m

Distance

22.9 mi

37 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 39m ★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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village in Kane and Kendall counties, Illinois, USA

Montgomery, IL

Wikimedia Commons

city in Illinois, United States

Joliet, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Montgomery to Joliet is 22.9 miles and takes about 42 minutes via Lincoln Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Illinois, moving you through the Midwest region. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns, making it feel less like a direct commute and more like navigating through communities. It's a straightforward trip suitable for a quick excursion or an easy connection between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Lincoln Highway 7.4 mi 11m
Plainfield Road 5.2 mi 11m
US 30 3.5 mi 5m
North Joliet Road 2.5 mi 5m
North Division Street 1.2 mi 2m
143rd Street 1 mi 1m
South Lake Street 0.6 mi <1m
North Center Street 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Lincoln Highway — 7.4 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Montgomery, IL and Joliet, IL.

1

Start on IL 31

0.6 mi · 53 sec · South Lake Street
Use the left lane.
2

Turn right

0.1 mi · 27 sec
Use the right lane.
3

Turn right onto US 30

3.5 mi · 5 min · US 30
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto US 34

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto Hill Avenue

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Hill Avenue
Use the right lane.
6

Turn straight onto US 30

7.4 mi · 11 min · Lincoln Highway
Use the left lane.
7

Turn left onto US 30

1.0 mi · 1 min · 143rd Street
Use the left lane.
8

Turn right onto US 30; IL 59

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Division Street
Use the right lane.
9

Turn left onto US 30

2.5 mi · 5 min · North Joliet Road
Use the left lane.
10

Continue on US 30

5.2 mi · 11 min · Plainfield Road
11

Continue on US 30

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Center Street
12

Turn left onto US 30

0.4 mi · 1 min · West Jefferson Street
13

Turn left onto Joliet Street

174 ft · 6 sec · Joliet Street
14

Turn right

272 ft · 19 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | IL 31 / South Lake Street

Depart onto IL 31 / South Lake Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
0.6 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn right

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
4.6 mi into trip | ~7m in | Hill Avenue

Turn right onto Hill Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
12.1 mi into trip | ~18m in | US 30 / 143rd Street

Turn left onto US 30 / 143rd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
13.1 mi into trip | ~20m in | US 30; IL 59 / North Division Street

Turn right onto US 30; IL 59 / North Division Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.58 one way

$7.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.93 $7.86
premium $4.89 $4.41 $8.81
diesel $5.61 $5.06 $10.11

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.9 0 $2.40 $1.10
Efficient EV 5.7 0 $2.00 $0.92
EV Truck/SUV 9.2 0 $3.21 $1.47

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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

Montgomery, IL

Morning in Montgomery on Tuesday

Local time

10:04 AM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Partly Sunny

WNW 20 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:06AM CDT until April 20 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:06AM CDT until April 20 at 5:48PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Destination

Joliet, IL

Morning in Joliet on Tuesday

Local time

10:04 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°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

15 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

42m 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 route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. With only about 15% of the journey on highways, the majority of your time will be spent on local roads like Lincoln Highway and Plainfield Road, eventually merging onto US 30. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 7.4 miles along Lincoln Highway. Be prepared for a more engaging driving experience, requiring your attention at each junction as you navigate through towns and residential areas.

Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.4 mi on Lincoln Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IL 31 / South Lake Street.

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 22.9 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (IL 31 / South Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (Hill Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving 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 42m. Total distance: 22.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 7.4 miles on Lincoln Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Joliet, 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 (IL 31 / South Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (Hill Avenue): 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 Joliet, 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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