St. Louis and Chicago travel

If you are driving from Chicago to St. Louis (or south on I-55 to somewhere beyond St. Louis) you may be interested in this time log from one of my drives between those cities. This was a weekday in March, I think.

3:37 p.m. leave downtown Chicago

4:09 p.m. I-294 exit ramp from I-55

4:17 p.m. I-355 exit ramp

4:30 p.m. US-30 for Joliet

4:36 p.m. I-80 and I-55 interchange

5:31 p.m. US-24 113 miles from parking lot in downtown Chicago.

5:50 p.m. I-39

5:57 p.m. I-74

6:08 p.m. US-136 (Dixie Diner) 156.1 miles from parking lot in downtown Chicago.

6:25 p.m. I pull off at exit just south of I-155 for dinner and gas (175.3 miles from Chicago)

6:52 p.m. return to the road

7:17 p.m. I-72 to Decatur

7:37 p.m. Notice the bed and breakfast to the east of the freeway.

8:16 p.m. Passing the St. Paul church (275.2 miles from Chicago)

8:27 p.m. I-70

8:55 p.m. arrive home (Richmond Heights, just west of St. Louis City).

4 hours and 50 minutes for driving from Chicago to St. Louis.

Allow at least 5 hours and 20 minutes so one can take a 30 minute break.

Add another 30 minutes of driving time if one leaves Chicago between 4:00 and 5:30. Add another 20 minutes (for St. Louis traffic) if one leaves Chicago between 11:00 and 12:30.