Origin
Reading, IL
Late night in Reading on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reading, IL to Joliet, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
64 mi
103 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
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 27m
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.
Reading, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Reading, IL to Joliet, IL is 64 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via I 55, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving through the Midwest region. The route is primarily highway driving, offering a straightforward connection between these two points. With a short duration and minimal cost, it's a practical option for a quick transit or a day trip. You'll find the driving experience consistent and easy to manage.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 32.5 mi | 35m |
| East 3200 North Road | 10.1 mi | 15m |
| East 3000 N Road | 5.7 mi | 8m |
| I 80 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| East 3000 North Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| E 3200 N Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| West Jefferson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Center Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 32.5 mi, about 35m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical · worst 1,464
Quietest
2 AM
~148 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 73 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 Reading, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on Co Rd 379 E Rd
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Co Rd 379 E Rd
2
Turn straight onto North 379 E Road
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
North 379 E Road
3
Turn left onto IL 17
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East 3000 North Road
4
Continue on IL 17
5.7 mi
·
8 min
·
East 3000 N Road
5
Continue on IL 17
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
East 3000 North Road
6
Turn right onto IL 17
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
E 3200 N Road
7
Continue on IL 17
10 mi
·
15 min
·
East 3200 North Road
8
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 55 North: Joliet
9
Merge onto I 55
32 mi
·
35 min
·
I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 250A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 80
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
13
Continue on South Center Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Center Street
14
Continue on Hickory Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Hickory Street
15
Turn right onto US 30
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Jefferson Street
16
Turn left onto Joliet Street
174 ft
·
6 sec
·
Joliet Street
17
Turn right
272 ft
·
19 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32 miles from Reading, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 62.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 17 / East 3000 North Road
Turn left onto IL 17 / East 3000 North Road
Navigation decision point
5
24 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
56.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
5
57.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
62.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward Center Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.92 one way
$19.85 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $10.88 | $21.76 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.42 | $24.83 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $14.11 | $28.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.72 | $3.07 |
| Efficient EV | 16 | 0 | $5.60 | $2.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.96 | $4.10 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Late night in Joliet on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
22 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
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 59% of your time on highways, with the majority of that on I 55. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 32.5 miles on I 55. After leaving the interstate, you'll transition to surface roads like East 3200 North Road and East 3000 N Road. Expect a mixed driving experience, starting with higher speeds and then shifting to more local traffic patterns as you approach your destination.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.5 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IL 17 / East 3000 North Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.4 miles (IL 17 / East 3000 North Road): Navigation decision point; at 24 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Reading, 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 1h 24m. Total distance: 64 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 (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.5 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.4 miles (IL 17 / East 3000 North Road): Navigation decision point; at 24 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Joliet, IL
Explore more options from Reading, IL or browse trips ending in Joliet, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.