Missouri → Illinois · Interstate 70 / Interstate 64
Before turning the key for Chicago, Illinois, on the homeward run from St. Louis, Missouri, do a quick inventory sweep of onboard equipment: proposal binder, undelivered promotional items, and visitor badge should each go into a separate compartment so nothing slides into the footwell during a sharp brake. Interstate 70 / Interstate 64 accepts the 498 km (309 miles) of the return in roughly 4h 45m. Pulling out of St. Louis (the historic Gateway to the West and a major Mississippi River freight port), the road eventually puts the driver back in front of the urban skyline of Chicago (the largest Midwest metropolis and a national logistics hub). Refueling sits near $41.68 for the same 45.3 liters (12.0 gallons) at the EIA national average benchmark. Return reimbursement, calculated against $0.43/km, returns $214.14 into the driver's wallet. Snap the closing odometer with the phone camera and attach it directly to the Clara receipt — internal controls accept photographic evidence without a supplementary spreadsheet.