Origin
City of Janesville, WI
Late night in City of Janesville on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Janesville, WI to Browns Lake, WI
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 10m
Distance
47.6 mi
77 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Janesville, WI
Tom Fisk
Browns Lake, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Janesville to Browns Lake is 47.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via I 43 and WI 11, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Wisconsin, taking you from the Midwest region of Janesville to the Browns Lake area. Expect a primarily highway-focused experience for this relatively short trip. It's a straightforward journey that's easy to complete within a single day, making it a convenient option for a quick getaway or a day trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 43 | 13.3 mi | 14m |
| WI 11 | 11.2 mi | 15m |
| State Highway 11 | 8.5 mi | 12m |
| US 14 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| East Racine Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Browns Lake Drive | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| County Highway JS | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Chestnut Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 43
— 13.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Janesville, WI and Browns Lake, WI.
1
Start on East Court Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Court Street
2
Turn right onto CTH MM
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Ruger Avenue
3
Turn right onto South Randall Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Randall Avenue
4
Turn left onto East Racine Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Racine Street
5
Continue on East Racine Street
445 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Racine Street
6
Enter roundabout onto WI 11
144 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Racine Street
7
Continue on WI 11
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
East Racine Street
8
Enter roundabout onto WI 11
112 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Racine Street
9
Continue on WI 11
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Racine Street
10
Turn straight onto WI 11
11 mi
·
15 min
·
WI 11
11
Continue on US 14
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
US 14
12
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
13
Merge onto I 43
13 mi
·
14 min
·
I 43
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 29
Toward WI 11: Elkhorn, Burlington
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
159 ft
·
3 sec
Toward WI 11 East, I 43 Alternate: Burlington
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto WI 11
8.5 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 11
17
Continue on WI 11
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Burlington Bypass
18
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
19
Turn left onto CTH JS
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
County Highway JS
20
Continue on West Chestnut Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Chestnut Street
21
Keep slight left at fork onto North Pine Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Pine Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
22
Turn left onto Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Adams Street
Use the left lane.
23
Continue on East State Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
East State Street
24
Continue on Durand Avenue
367 ft
·
7 sec
·
Durand Avenue
25
Turn slight left
361 ft
·
16 sec
26
Turn slight left onto CTH W
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Browns Lake Drive
27
Turn right onto Cedar Drive
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Cedar Drive
28
Turn left onto Lakehills Drive
242 ft
·
10 sec
·
Lakehills Drive
29
Turn right onto Fairfield
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
Fairfield
30
Turn left onto Hickory Lane
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Hickory Lane
31
Arrive at destination
Hickory Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from City of Janesville, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 43.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WI 11 / East Racine Street
Enter roundabout onto WI 11 / East Racine Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WI 11 / East Racine Street
Enter roundabout onto WI 11 / East Racine Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
32 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward WI 11: Elkhorn, Burlington
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 29
Toward WI 11: Elkhorn, Burlington
9
32.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WI 11 East, I 43 Alternate: Burlington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward WI 11 East, I 43 Alternate: Burlington
6
43.8 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
North Pine Street
Keep slight left at fork onto North Pine Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.44 one way
$14.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.17 | $16.34 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.16 | $18.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.51 | $21.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 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 | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.66 | $3.05 |
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
Browns Lake, WI
Late night in Browns Lake on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°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
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 10m 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?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 77% of it utilizing high-speed roads like I 43. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 13.3 miles on I 43, offering a consistent cruising experience. The transition from I 43 to WI 11 will introduce a slight change in road character, but the overall feel remains geared towards efficient travel. Expect a smooth and direct journey with minimal slowdowns.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on I 43.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 43 and WI 11. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near WI 11 / East Racine Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.6 miles you will encounter 18 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 2.2 miles (WI 11 / East Racine Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.3 miles (WI 11 / East Racine Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 32 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 City of Janesville, WI to Browns Lake, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Burlington along the way.
Burlington
32 mi in
|
~42m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 47.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 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 Browns Lake, 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: at 2.2 miles (WI 11 / East Racine Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.3 miles (WI 11 / East Racine Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 32 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 Browns Lake, 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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