Origin
Big Bend, WI
Night in Big Bend on Saturday
Local time
11:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Big Bend, WI to City of Janesville, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
56.1 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Big Bend, WI
Tom Fisk
City of Janesville, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This 56.1-mile drive from Big Bend, WI, to the City of Janesville, WI, is easily manageable in just over an hour, making it a perfect day trip. The route primarily utilizes major highways, with an 88% highway share, and is well within a modest $9 fuel budget. You'll be spending most of your time on Interstate 43 and US 14. Given the short duration and straightforward nature, this trip is ideal for a quick getaway within the Midwest region, requiring no overnight stops. The efficiency of this route makes it a practical choice for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 43 | 34.9 mi | 37m |
| US 14 | 14.5 mi | 19m |
| East Racine Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Big Bend Drive | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| South Randall Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Ruger Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Clark Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Court Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 43
— 34.9 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Big Bend, WI and City of Janesville, WI.
1
Start on Jackson Parkway
30 ft
·
7 sec
·
Jackson Parkway
2
Turn left onto Maple Avenue
519 ft
·
24 sec
·
Maple Avenue
3
Turn right onto WI 164
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Clark Street
4
Continue on WI 164
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Big Bend Drive
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 43 South: Beloit
6
Merge onto I 43
35 mi
·
37 min
·
I 43
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 15
Toward US 14: Darien, Janesville
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
121 ft
·
3 sec
9
Merge onto US 14
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
US 14
10
Turn left onto US 14; WI 11
11 mi
·
15 min
·
US 14; WI 11
11
Turn left onto WI 11
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Racine Street
12
Enter roundabout onto WI 11
118 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Racine Street
13
Continue on WI 11
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
East Racine Street
14
Enter roundabout onto East Racine Street
96 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Racine Street
15
Continue on East Racine Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Racine Street
16
Turn right onto South Randall Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Randall Avenue
17
Turn left onto CTH MM
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Ruger Avenue
18
At end of road, turn left onto East Court Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
East Court Street
19
Arrive at destination
East Court Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Big Bend, WI, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 53.9 — 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
|
Maple Avenue
Turn left onto Maple Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 43
Merge onto I 43
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
37.5 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward US 14: Darien, Janesville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward US 14: Darien, Janesville
5
37.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
53.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
East Racine Street
Enter roundabout onto East Racine Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.77 one way
$17.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.63 | $19.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.80 | $21.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.39 | $24.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.85 | $3.59 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
City of Janesville, WI
Night in City of Janesville on Saturday
Local time
11:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°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
20 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 11m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 1-hour, 11-minute journey. With 88% of the drive on highways, including a significant 34.9-mile stretch on I 43, you'll encounter consistent speeds and straightforward navigation. The route transitions from I 43 to US 14 and then East Racine Street, offering a mix of high-speed interstate travel and slightly more varied road conditions as you approach Janesville. This highway-centric profile means you'll cover ground efficiently, with fewer distractions from local traffic.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.9 mi on I 43.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 43 and US 14. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Maple Avenue.
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 56.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (Maple Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 43): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.5 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 Big Bend, WI to City of Janesville, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Janesville along the way.
Janesville
37.5 mi in
|
~42m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 56.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.9 miles on I 43. 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 City of Janesville, WI 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 (Maple Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 43): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Janesville, WI 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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