Origin
Blue Island, IL
Morning in Blue Island on Tuesday
Local time
6:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blue Island, IL to Waukegan, 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
1h 20m
Distance
57.7 mi
93 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blue Island, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 57.7-mile drive from Blue Island, IL to Waukegan, IL is a straightforward, highway-focused trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. You'll primarily be on the Edens Expressway and South Skokie Highway, with a portion on the Kennedy Expressway, making it a 62% highway experience. The estimated fuel cost is around $9, which is quite economical for the distance covered. This route stays within the Midwest region, offering a familiar drive across Illinois.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| South Skokie Highway | 8.2 mi | 10m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| I 57 | 3 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blue Island, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on Western Avenue
28 ft
·
8 sec
·
Western Avenue
2
Turn left onto York Street
501 ft
·
29 sec
·
York Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto Gregory Street
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Gregory Street
4
Continue on Vincennes Avenue
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Vincennes Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto West 111th Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West 111th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 57 North: Chicago Loop
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 57
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 94
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
14
Continue on US 41
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward IL 120 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn straight onto IL 120
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Belvidere Road
17
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
18
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Blue Island, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
York Street
Turn left onto York Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 57 North: Chicago Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 57 North: Chicago Loop
8
9.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
6
39 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
US 41 / Skokie Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41 / Skokie Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
54.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward IL 120 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.02 one way
$18.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.90 | $19.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.10 | $22.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.74 | $25.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 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 | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.08 | $3.69 |
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
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
6:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°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
4 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 20m 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 predominantly highway experience on this route, with 62% of the drive dedicated to faster-paced roads. You'll encounter stretches like the 13.5 miles on the Edens Expressway, which offer consistent speed. The use of the Kennedy Expressway also contributes to the highway feel. While the majority is on these main arteries, the transition onto South Skokie Highway might introduce slightly more varied traffic patterns as you approach Waukegan. It's a drive that prioritizes efficiency over scenic detours.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.5 mi on Edens Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Edens Expressway and South Skokie Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near York Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 (York Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Blue Island, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Blue Island is in Chicagoland, located on South Western Avenue between 119th St and 135th Street.
Arriving in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →Waukegan is in the Far North Suburbs of the Chicagoland region of Illinois. It sits on Lake Michigan, has a large harbor, and is the county seat of Lake County, 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 1h 20m. Total distance: 57.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. 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 Waukegan, 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 (York Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Waukegan, 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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