Origin
South Elgin, IL
Morning in South Elgin on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Elgin, IL to Lockport, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
44.2 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Lockport, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from South Elgin, IL to Lockport, IL? This 44.2-mile journey takes about 1 hour to complete, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate on I-355, with some time on Lake Street and Bartlett Road. With a fuel cost estimated at $7, this drive is quite budget-friendly for a quick excursion. The Midwest region offers a familiar driving landscape for this route. It's a straightforward drive, ideal for a spontaneous outing or a planned visit without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 355 | 25.7 mi | 30m |
| Lake Street | 6.5 mi | 10m |
| Bartlett Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| West Lake Street | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| East 9th Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East Middle Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Sutton Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West 159th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 355
— 25.7 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Elgin, IL and Lockport, IL.
1
Start on South Center Street
39 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Center Street
2
Turn right onto East State Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
East State Street
3
Turn right onto South Gilbert Street
340 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Gilbert Street
4
Turn left onto East Middle Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East Middle Street
5
Continue on CR 61
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Bartlett Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto IL 59
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto US 20
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lake Street
9
Continue on US 20
6.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 355
26 mi
·
30 min
·
I 355
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 4
Toward IL 7: 159th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto IL 7
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West 159th Street
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on IL 7
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
East 9th Street
15
Arrive at destination
IL 7
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 22.1 miles from South Elgin, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East State Street
Turn right onto East State Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Gilbert Street
Turn right onto South Gilbert Street
Navigation decision point
6
15.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
5
15.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 355
Merge onto I 355
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
41.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward IL 7: 159th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4
Toward IL 7: 159th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.91 one way
$13.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.59 | $15.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.51 | $17.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.64 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Lockport, IL
Morning in Lockport on Sunday
Local time
9:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
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 drive presents a mixed profile, with 58% of it on highways. You'll experience stretches of faster-paced driving on I-355, including a longest uninterrupted segment of 25.7 miles. The remainder of the route incorporates local roads like Lake Street and Bartlett Road, offering a change of pace from the interstate. Expect a blend of efficient highway travel and more community-oriented driving as you make your way to Lockport. The transition between these road types should feel natural for most drivers.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.7 mi on I 355.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East State Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 44.2 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (East State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Gilbert Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 44.2 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 (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.7 miles on I 355. 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 Lockport, 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: near the start (East State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Gilbert Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lockport, 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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