Origin
Preston Heights, IL
Morning in Preston Heights on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Preston Heights, IL to Chicago, 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
1h 1m
Distance
44.7 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Preston Heights, IL
Eddie O.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Preston Heights to Chicago is 44.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 1 minute via I 80 and I 57, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving through the Midwest region. Expect a straightforward drive primarily on major highways, making it a convenient option for a quick transition between locations. It's a short distance, so you won't spend much time on the road, making it ideal for a same-day trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 18.7 mi | 22m |
| I 57 | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| South Chicago Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Canalport Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 18.7 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Preston Heights, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on Haviland Drive
200 ft
·
10 sec
·
Haviland Drive
2
Turn right onto Zurich Road
270 ft
·
7 sec
·
Zurich Road
3
Turn left onto IL 53
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Chicago Street
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 80 East: Gary Indiana
5
Merge onto I 80
19 mi
·
22 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 151B
Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 57
13 mi
·
18 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn slight left onto South Ruble Street
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Ruble Street
12
Turn slight left
75 ft
·
4 sec
13
Turn left onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
14
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
15
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
16
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
17
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.4 miles from Preston Heights, 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 1.6 and 43.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.2 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 151B
Toward I 57 North, I 294 North: Chicago, Wiscon...
5
20.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
37.5 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
8
43.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
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 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.99 one way
$13.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.67 | $15.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.60 | $17.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Morning in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
4 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 1m 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?
This route is 93% highway, so you'll be on interstates for almost the entire 44.7 miles. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 18.7 miles on I 80. You'll notice a significant number of exits and potential for urban merging as you approach Chicago. The transition from highway to surface roads will likely occur in the final few miles.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 57. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near I 80.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.7 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 1.6 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.8 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
On the drive from Preston Heights, IL to Chicago, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.
Wisconsin
20.2 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
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 1m. Total distance: 44.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.7 miles on I 80. 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 1.6 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.8 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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