Origin
Northlake, IL
Morning in Northlake on Tuesday
Local time
7:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Northlake, IL to Joliet, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
39 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Northlake, IL
Sean Ewing
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 39-mile drive from Northlake, IL, to Joliet, IL, is easily manageable in about 56 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate on the Veterans Memorial Tollway and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a portion on Maple Road. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $6, this route offers a straightforward journey within the Midwest region. There are no planned stops, so you can keep moving and arrive at your destination without much delay. The overall feel is a practical, turn-heavy local drive that gets you where you need to go efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 19.9 mi | 22m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| Maple Road | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| I 290 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West North Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Wolf Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 19.9 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northlake, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on East Dickens Avenue
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
East Dickens Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto North Roy Avenue
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
·
North Roy Avenue
3
Turn sharp right onto Village Drive
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Village Drive
4
Turn right onto East Armitage Avenue
279 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Armitage Avenue
5
Turn left onto North Wolf Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wolf Road
6
Turn right onto IL 64
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West North Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 290 East
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 290
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 294
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 31A
Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
0.8 mi
·
59 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 131A
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 355
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
18
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
19
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.5 miles from Northlake, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 4.2 and 32.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
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 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
4.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
8
6.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
7
11.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 355 South: Joliet
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 131A
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
7
32.5 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.10 one way
$12.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.69 | $13.39 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.61 | $17.22 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.81
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(19.9 mi)
$1.39
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(6.5 mi)
$0.40
Tri-state Tollway
(0.4 mi)
$0.02
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.87 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.41 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Joliet, IL
Morning in Joliet on Tuesday
Local time
7:16 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
3 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
56m 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' profile for this 39-mile journey. While 4% of the route involves highway driving, much of your time will be spent on more localized roads, including Maple Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19.9 miles on the Veterans Memorial Tollway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. The road character will likely shift between quicker tollway sections and more varied local road conditions as you progress towards Joliet.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.9 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 39 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Northlake, IL and Joliet, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
4.2 mi in
|
~8m
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
6.1 mi in
|
~11m
|
via I 88; IL 110
About the Cities
Starting in Northlake, IL
Full guide →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 56m. Total distance: 39 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m 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 19.9 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.81 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans Memorial Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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: at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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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