Origin
Newark, IL
Afternoon in Newark on Sunday
Local time
1:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Newark, 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
1h 24m
Distance
57.8 mi
93 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Newark, IL
Mike Tyurin
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Newark to Chicago, you are looking at a 57.6-mile trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 13 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. Budgeting approximately $9 for fuel should comfortably cover your travel costs for this Midwest journey. Because the drive stays entirely within Illinois, you can expect a familiar regional atmosphere from start to finish. It is a straightforward, local-focused connection that bypasses major highways, making it a practical choice if you prefer a more grounded driving experience over high-speed interstate travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 24.9 mi | 33m |
| Walker Road | 11.8 mi | 16m |
| West Lockport Road | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| IL 71 | 3 mi | 4m |
| West Main Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Schlapp Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 24.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Newark, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on South Johnson Street
14 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Johnson Street
2
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
3
Turn left onto IL 71
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
IL 71
4
Turn right onto Walker Road
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Walker Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto Schlapp Road
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Schlapp Road
6
Turn right onto IL 126
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
West Lockport Road
7
Continue on West Lockport Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Lockport Street
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto West Main Street
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 55 North
10
Merge onto I 55
25 mi
·
33 min
·
I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 55
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
440 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Damen Avenue
16
Turn right onto South Blue Island Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Blue Island Avenue
17
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Cermak Road
18
Turn right
152 ft
·
11 sec
19
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Newark, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 3.6 and 55.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Walker Road
Turn right onto Walker Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
22.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
West Main Street
Turn left onto West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
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 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
55.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
9
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.04 one way
$18.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.92 | $19.84 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.12 | $22.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.76 | $25.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.07 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.06 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.09 | $3.70 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Afternoon in Chicago on Sunday
Local time
1:58 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
5 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
1h 24m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than a monotonous interstate grind. With 0% of the route on highways, you will spend your time navigating local roads like East Main Street, Walker Road, and Schlapp Road. The longest stretch of uninterrupted driving is 0 miles on East Main Street, highlighting the frequent turns you will encounter along the way. This path prioritizes local connectivity, so be prepared for a slower, more deliberate pace as you move toward the city. The road's personality is defined by these technical, non-highway segments that require your full attention throughout the 57.6-mile duration.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.9 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 miles in near Walker Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 3.6 miles (Walker Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 54.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
701 ft
588 ft
Total Climb
107 ft
Total Descent
189 ft
Highest Point
701 ft
~37.1 mi in
Elevation Range
113 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Newark, 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 1h 24m. Total distance: 57.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.9 miles on I 55. 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 3.6 miles (Walker Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 54.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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