Park Ridge, IL to Dolton, IL is 33 miles and takes about 50m via Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest and Illinois, connecting two points in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. You'll be spending most of your time on major expressways, making it a straightforward drive. It's a practical option for getting between these two locations without much fuss, ideal if you're looking for efficiency.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.3 mi
11m
Kennedy Expressway
8.1 mi
11m
South Michigan Avenue
4 mi
7m
West Touhy Avenue
2.7 mi
5m
Dan Ryan Expressway
2.4 mi
2m
North Caldwell Avenue
2.4 mi
3m
Edens Expressway
2.1 mi
2m
South Indiana Avenue
1.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
— 8.3 mi, about 11m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 3 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~8,925 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~1,444 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 49 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 Park Ridge, IL and Dolton, IL.
1
Start on this road
24 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto North Greenwood Avenue
92 ft·10 sec·North Greenwood Avenue
3
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
2.7 mi·5 min·West Touhy Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi·3 min·North Caldwell Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward I 94 EastUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 94
2.1 mi·2 min·Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi·11 min·Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Continue on I 90; I 94
2.4 mi·2 min·Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
8.3 mi·11 min·Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 ExpressUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 62Toward US 12, US 20: 95th Street, Chicago State UniversityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto South Lafayette Avenue
0.1 mi·15 sec·South Lafayette Avenue
12
Turn left onto US 12; US 20
0.2 mi·32 sec·West 95th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Turn right onto South Michigan Avenue
4.0 mi·7 min·South Michigan Avenue
Use the straight lane.
14
At end of road, turn left onto East 127th Street
0.1 mi·12 sec·East 127th Street
15
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·South Indiana Avenue
16
Turn left onto East 130th Street
344 ft·11 sec·East 130th Street
17
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·South Indiana Avenue
18
Turn left onto South Leyden Avenue
0.2 mi·32 sec·South Leyden Avenue
19
Continue on Lincoln Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Lincoln Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Lincoln Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 16.5 miles from Park Ridge, 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 26.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.1 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East
5
5.3 mi into trip|~9m in|I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.9 mi into trip|~26m in|I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
8
26.3 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward US 12, US 20: 95th Street, Chicago State University
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 62
Toward US 12, US 20: 95th Street, Chicago State...
6
26.9 mi into trip|~39m in|South Michigan Avenue
Turn right onto South Michigan Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.03 one way
$10.07 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg12 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$5.55
$11.09
premium
$4.81
$6.24
$12.49
diesel
$5.40
$7.02
$14.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
9.9
0
$3.47
$1.58
Efficient EV
8.3
0
$2.89
$1.32
EV Truck/SUV
13.2
0
$4.62
$2.11
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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 25, 2026
Origin
Park Ridge, IL
Night
in Park Ridge on Saturday
Local time
10:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Partly Cloudy
N 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:32PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Dolton, IL
Night
in Dolton on Saturday
Local time
10:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:32PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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
1 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
50m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 63% of the drive on expressways. You'll experience an 8.3 miles stretch on the Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). The transition from highway to surface streets will likely occur around the 20-mile mark. Expect a lot of merging and exiting as you navigate urban expressway systems.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express).
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) and Kennedy Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.1 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 33 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
On the drive from Park Ridge, IL to Dolton, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago State University along the way.
Park Ridge is a city in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicagoland, just outside of Chicago. It has a lively uptown area that has plenty of local businesses and restaurants. You can watch a film at the historic Pickwick Theatre or have a pool day at Centennial Park. Park Ridge is a great and accessible small town to escape to for a day trip, with lots of fun and exciting activities to fill your schedule.
Top landmarks
•Pickwick Theatre — movie theatre in Park Ridge, Illinois, United States
•Park Ridge Youth Campus — former school/orphanage in Park Ridge, Illinois
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 33 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.3 miles on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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 Dolton, 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 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Dolton, IL before heading back.
