Origin
Oak Brook, IL
Morning in Oak Brook on Tuesday
Local time
8:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Brook, 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
46m
Distance
31.1 mi
50 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Brook, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Oak Brook to Joliet is 31.1 miles and takes about 46m via Veterans Memorial Tollway and Adlai Stevenson Expressway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, specifically in Illinois, making it a straightforward hop between two suburban areas. It's a short drive, perfect for a day trip or an easy commute. You'll primarily be on tollways and expressways, so expect relatively fast travel times. Given the short distance, it's a trip that offers a lot of flexibility in terms of when you leave and how you pace yourself.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 10.4 mi | 11m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Maple Road | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 3 mi | 3m |
| York Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Ogden Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Oak Brook Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 10.4 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Brook, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on Oak Brook Road
71 ft
·
5 sec
·
Oak Brook Road
2
Turn right onto York Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
York Road
3
Turn left onto US 34
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Ogden Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana
5
Merge onto I 294
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 55
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 269
Toward I 355 South Toll, I 355 North Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto I 355
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
15
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
16
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.5 miles from Oak Brook, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 24.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
8
12.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 355 South Toll, I 355 North Toll: Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs
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 269
Toward I 355 South Toll, I 355 North Toll: Nort...
7
13 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
7
24.6 mi into trip
|
~33m 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
$4.86 one way
$9.72 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.34 | $10.68 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.87 | $13.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.91
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.4 mi)
$0.73
Tri-state Tollway
(3 mi)
$0.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.27 | $1.49 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.72 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
8:47 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
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
46m 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?
You'll spend about 21% of this 31.1-mile drive on highways, with the longest stretch on the Veterans Memorial Tollway covering 10.4 miles. The profile is mostly surface roads, meaning you'll transition from expressways to local streets as you approach Joliet. Expect a high number of exits and intersections as you leave the limited-access sections and navigate through towns. This shift from faster highway speeds to more controlled surface road travel is a key characteristic of the drive.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.4 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 3.7 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
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 14 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Oak Brook, IL and Joliet, IL, road signs point toward St. Louis and Southwest Suburbs.
St. Louis
5 mi in
|
~7m
Southwest Suburbs
12.7 mi in
|
~18m
About the Cities
Starting in Oak Brook, IL
Full guide →Founded 1958
Oak Brook is a village in the Western Suburbs of Chicago, within the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor, one of the principal economic centers in Chicagoland.
Top landmarks
- • Mayslake Peabody Estate — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 46m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m 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 10.4 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.91 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.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas 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: at 3.7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 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 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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