Origin
Winfield, IL
Late night in Winfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winfield, 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
50m
Distance
35.2 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winfield, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Winfield to Joliet is 35.2 miles and takes about 50 minutes via Veterans Memorial Tollway, Maple Road, and Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, making it a straightforward Midwest hop. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and navigating local roads, rather than an open highway cruise. It's a short enough journey that you won't need to pack much, but it’s good to be aware of the change in road types as you go.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 18.1 mi | 20m |
| Maple Road | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| North Winfield Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| North Ottawa Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 18.1 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winfield, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on this road
102 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto North Winfield Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
North Winfield Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 131
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 355
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 1
Toward US 6: Southwest Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
10
Turn left onto IL 53
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
11
Turn right
111 ft
·
8 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Winfield, 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 and 28.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Winfield Road
Turn right onto North Winfield Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 East: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
9.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 131
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 355 South: Joliet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 355 South: Joliet
7
28.6 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
$5.50 one way
$11.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.04 | $12.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.77 | $13.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.77 | $15.54 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.58
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(18.1 mi)
$1.27
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(5.2 mi)
$0.31
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.93 | $2.25 |
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.
Destination
Joliet, IL
Late night in Joliet on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 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
19 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
50m 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 is a turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and county roads for the entire 35.2 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.1 miles on the Veterans Memorial Tollway. Be prepared for a route that requires constant attention to turns and traffic signals, as you'll be weaving through various communities. The road character shifts as you move from more suburban areas to the approaches to Joliet.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.1 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive near North Winfield Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 35.2 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: near the start (North Winfield Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 50m. Total distance: 35.2 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.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.1 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.58 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: near the start (North Winfield Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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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