Murphysboro to Joliet is 313.5 miles and takes about 6h 2m via I 57, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a fairly straightforward drive that's almost entirely on major highways, making it a convenient choice for a single-day trip. The route is efficient, allowing you to cover the distance without significant detours or complexities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
156.8 miles from Murphysboro, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
154.9 mi
2h 45m
Ken Gray Expressway
104.1 mi
1h 52m
IL 149
11.3 mi
16m
US 45
10.1 mi
13m
Herrin Road
6.8 mi
10m
Manhattan Road
5.3 mi
8m
West Joliet Road
4.4 mi
6m
West Herrin Street
3.1 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 154.9 mi, about 2h 45m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,461
Quietest
2 AM
~180 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Murphysboro, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on North 11th Street
65 ft·8 sec·North 11th Street
2
Turn left onto IL 149
0.5 mi·1 min·Walnut Street
3
Turn left onto IL 127; IL 149
0.9 mi·1 min·North 2nd Street
4
Turn right onto IL 149
11 mi·16 min·IL 149
5
Turn right onto Cambria Road
1.5 mi·2 min·Cambria Road
6
Enter roundabout onto Herrin Road
219 ft·4 sec·Herrin Road
7
Continue on Herrin Road
3.5 mi·5 min·Herrin Road
8
Continue on West Herrin Street
3.1 mi·5 min·West Herrin Street
9
Continue on Herrin Road
3.3 mi·4 min·Herrin Road
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
11
Merge onto I 57
37 mi·39 min·Ken Gray Expressway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
67 mi·1 hr 12 min·Ken Gray Expressway
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
155 mi·2 hr 45 min·I 57
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·42 sec
Exit 318Toward Bourbonnais Parkway
15
Turn left onto Bourbonnais Parkway
0.6 mi·1 min·Bourbonnais Parkway
16
Turn right onto US 45; US 52
10 mi·13 min·US 45; US 52
17
Turn left onto US 52
1.3 mi·1 min·West Joliet Road
18
Continue on US 52
1.9 mi·2 min·West Arsenal Road
19
Continue on US 52
3.1 mi·4 min·West Joliet Road
20
Continue on US 52
1.2 mi·1 min·US Route 52
21
Continue on US 52
1.9 mi·3 min·South State Street
22
Continue on US 52
2.3 mi·3 min·West North Street
23
Continue on US 52
3.1 mi·4 min·Manhattan Road
24
Turn left onto US 52
2.2 mi·4 min·Manhattan Road
25
Continue on US 52
0.3 mi·42 sec·Gardner Street
26
Turn left onto US 52
0.1 mi·15 sec·Doris Avenue
27
Turn right onto US 52; IL 53
1.2 mi·2 min·South Chicago Street
28
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6; IL 53
272 ft·12 sec·Chicago Street
29
Turn left onto West Washington Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·West Washington Street
30
Turn right onto Joliet Street
520 ft·18 sec·Joliet Street
31
Turn right
272 ft·19 sec
32
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour drive time, leaving Murphysboro in the morning will allow you to reach Joliet with ample daylight. You can manage the drive with just one planned stop, perhaps midway through the longest stretch on I 57. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 154.9-mile section on I 57, as services might be less frequent in some parts. The relatively short duration means you have flexibility in your departure time and can adjust your schedule as needed.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 156.8 miles from Murphysboro, IL, or about 3h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 154.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 69 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156.8 miles or 3h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Joliet, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Murphysboro, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Murphysboro, IL
This is one driving day of about 313.5 miles and 6h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Murphysboro, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 154.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 14.3 and 313.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
14.3 mi into trip|~21m in|Herrin Road
Enter roundabout onto Herrin Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
61.1 mi into trip|~1h 17m in|I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
5
128.6 mi into trip|~2h 29m in|I 57
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
5
283.5 mi into trip|~5h 15m in
Take the exit toward Bourbonnais Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 318
Toward Bourbonnais Parkway
5
313.4 mi into trip|~6h 2m in|Joliet Street
Turn right onto Joliet Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.87 one way
$115.75 round trip
$4.69/gal25.4 MPG avg110 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.33
$65.74
$131.47
premium
$5.87
$72.46
$144.93
diesel
$6.57
$81.08
$162.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$58
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.7 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
94.1
1
$32.92
$15.05
Efficient EV
78.4
0
$27.43
$12.54
EV Truck/SUV
125.4
1
$43.89
$20.06
Gas CO2
110 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Murphysboro, IL
Evening
in Murphysboro on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Areas Of Frost
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Joliet, IL
Evening
in Joliet on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Patchy Frost
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 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
6h 2m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 313.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily highway cruising, with 90% of the 313.5 miles on high-speed roads like I 57. You'll experience about 154.9 miles on I 57 as the longest continuous stretch before encountering surface roads. Expect a high density of exits and potential for merging traffic as you approach and pass through more populated areas.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 154.9 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 14.3 miles in near Herrin Road.
Driving Effort5/10
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 313.5 miles you will encounter 19 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 14.3 miles (Herrin Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 61.1 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 128.6 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 2m. Total distance: 313.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 2m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 154.9 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.3 miles (Herrin Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 61.1 miles (I 57 / Ken Gray Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 128.6 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Joliet, IL before the return drive.
