Origin
Burr Ridge, IL
Night in Burr Ridge on Saturday
Local time
11:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burr Ridge, IL to Waukegan, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
49.6 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burr Ridge, IL
Choco Kitty
Trip Overview
Burr Ridge to Waukegan is 49.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Tri-State Tollway and local roads, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region. Expect a local feel with plenty of turns, making it a good option for a shorter, more engaging trip rather than a purely functional transit. If you're looking for a straightforward drive with a moderate fuel cost that won't consume your entire day, this route fits the bill.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 41.8 mi | 50m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South County Line Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 77th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 41.8 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burr Ridge, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on 77th Street
0.1 mi
·
40 sec
·
77th Street
2
Turn left onto South County Line Road
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
South County Line Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 55 North
4
Merge onto I 55
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Take the exit
1.6 mi
·
3 min
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
7
Merge onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
37 mi
·
45 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
11
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
12
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
14
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.8 miles from Burr Ridge, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 44.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South County Line Road
Turn left onto South County Line Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Merge onto I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
44.8 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.75 one way
$15.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.51 | $17.03 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.55 | $19.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.51
Tri-state Tollway
(41.8 mi)
$2.51
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$3
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.34 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.94 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Night in Waukegan on Saturday
Local time
11:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Cloudy
WNW 15 to 20 mph
9% chance
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
3 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 6m 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 turn-heavy local drive, so don't expect long stretches of open highway. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating surface streets for the majority of the 49.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 41.8 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, but the overall character is one of frequent adjustments and local road cruising. Be prepared for a more involved driving experience with numerous turns as you make your way north.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.8 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 South County Line Road.
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 49.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 (South County Line Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Burr Ridge, IL
Full guide →Founded 1956
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 6m. Total distance: 49.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.8 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.51 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 (South County Line Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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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