Origin
Burnham, IL
Morning in Burnham on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burnham, 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 25m
Distance
60.6 mi
97 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 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burnham, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
Burnham, IL to Waukegan, IL is 60.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes via Edens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving north through the Midwest region. Expect a drive primarily on major expressways, making it a straightforward journey. It's a short enough distance that you can easily complete it within a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Consider this route for its directness and efficiency if you need to get between these two points quickly.
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 |
| Bishop Ford Freeway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burnham, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on South Marquette Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South Marquette Avenue
2
Turn right onto East 142nd Street
335 ft
·
16 sec
·
East 142nd Street
3
Turn right onto South Saginaw Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Saginaw Avenue
4
Turn left onto 140th Street
339 ft
·
18 sec
·
140th Street
5
Turn right onto South Torrence Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Torrence Avenue
6
Turn left onto East 130th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East 130th Street
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 94 West: Chicago
8
Merge onto I 94
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
Toward I 94 West: Chicago Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
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.
12
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 94
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
16
Continue on US 41
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward IL 120 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn straight onto IL 120
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Belvidere Road
19
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
20
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
22
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 30.3 miles from Burnham, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 57.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 142nd Street
Turn right onto East 142nd Street
Navigation decision point
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway toward I 94 West: Chicago Loop
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West: Chicago Loop
8
12.3 mi into trip
|
~19m 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
41.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 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
57.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m 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
$9.47 one way
$18.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.66 | $23.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.48 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 15 to 20 mph
100% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 17 at 11:24PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 11:24PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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 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 25m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 highway-focused drive with 64% of the route on major roads like the Edens Expressway and Kennedy Expressway. You'll experience stretches of consistent speed, including a longest stretch of 13.5 miles on the Edens Expressway. The South Skokie Highway offers a slight change of pace as you continue north. Overall, anticipate a driving experience characterized by faster speeds and limited turns, typical of urban and suburban expressway travel in the region.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 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?
9/10
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 around 0.1 miles in near East 142nd Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.6 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 0.1 miles (East 142nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 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
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 25m. Total distance: 60.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). 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: at 0.1 miles (East 142nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 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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