Origin
Western Springs, IL
Morning in Western Springs on Tuesday
Local time
7:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Western Springs, 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
45m
Distance
29 mi
47 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 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Western Springs, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 29-mile drive from Western Springs, IL to Joliet, IL will take approximately 45 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Veterans Memorial Tollway and Adlai Stevenson Expressway, with a 23% highway share. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $5. Given the minimal distance and time commitment, this route offers considerable flexibility for departure and arrival times. Both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region of Illinois, so expect familiar Midwestern landscapes throughout.
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 |
| Wolf Road | 3 mi | 6m |
| Joliet Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Hillgrove Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Walnut Street | <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 Western Springs, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on Walnut Street
178 ft
·
10 sec
·
Walnut Street
2
Turn left onto Hillgrove Avenue
380 ft
·
16 sec
·
Hillgrove Avenue
3
Turn right onto Wolf Road
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Wolf Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Joliet Road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Joliet Road
Toward I 294 North
5
Keep slight left at fork onto Joliet Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Joliet Road
Toward I 55 South
6
Merge onto I 55
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
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.
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 355 Tollway South: Southwest Suburbs
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
12
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
13
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 22.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Wolf Road
Turn right onto Wolf Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Joliet Road
Keep slight left at fork onto Joliet Road toward I 55 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 55 South
8
10.6 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
10.9 mi into trip
|
~18m 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
22.5 mi into trip
|
~32m 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
$4.53 one way
$9.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.98 | $9.96 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.58 | $11.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.40 | $12.81 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.73
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.4 mi)
$0.73
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
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.06 | $1.86 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
7:05 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
18 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
45m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive, as indicated by the route's profile. While 23% of the journey involves highway travel, the majority of your time will be spent on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.4 miles on the Veterans Memorial Tollway. This means you'll experience frequent changes in speed and direction, requiring your attention to navigate through various local street networks.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 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?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near Wolf Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 11 decision points packed into just 29 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Wolf Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (Joliet Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 10.6 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.
On the drive from Western Springs, IL to Joliet, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Southwest Suburbs along the way.
Southwest Suburbs
10.6 mi in
|
~18m
About the Cities
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 45m. Total distance: 29 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m 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 $0.73 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.
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 0.1 miles (Wolf Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (Joliet Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 10.6 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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