Trip from City of Janesville, WI to Friendship, WI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 19m

Distance

111.4 mi

179 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min

4 AM

2h 10m ★

6 AM

2h 19m

8 AM

2h 39m

10 AM

2h 26m

12 PM

2h 24m

3 PM

2h 27m

5 PM

2h 38m

8 PM

2h 14m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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City of Janesville, WI

Tom Fisk

Friendship, WI

Gustavo Fring

Trip Overview

Janesville, WI to Friendship, WI is 111.4 miles and takes about 2h 19m via I 39 and State Highway 13, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive connecting two points within Wisconsin's Midwest region. You'll spend most of your time on interstates, making it an efficient way to travel between these two locations. Given the relatively short duration and straightforward nature, this trip is well-suited for a single day of travel. Plan for a simple journey with minimal complexities.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

55.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 39	67 mi	1h 11m
State Highway 13	23.5 mi	32m
State Highway 16	14.1 mi	19m
Milton Avenue	3.1 mi	6m
South Main Street	1.8 mi	5m
West Wisconsin Street	0.6 mi	1m
East Milwaukee Street	0.2 mi	<1m
Harrison Street	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: I 39 — 67 mi, about 1h 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Janesville, WI and Friendship, WI.

Start on East Court Street

148 ft · 6 sec · East Court Street

Turn right onto Harrison Street

513 ft · 26 sec · Harrison Street

Turn left onto East Milwaukee Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · East Milwaukee Street

Turn sharp right onto Milton Avenue

3.1 mi · 6 min · Milton Avenue

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min

Merge onto I 39; I 90

61 mi · 1 hr 5 min · I 39; I 90

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 39

0.2 mi · 14 sec · I 39

Exit 108A; 108B Toward WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Portage, Wausau Use the slight right lane.

Continue on I 39

5.5 mi · 5 min · I 39

Exit 108B Toward I 39 North: Portage, Wausau

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Toward WI 16 West: Wisconsin Dells

Turn right onto WI 16

0.2 mi · 18 sec · West Wisconsin Street

Enter roundabout onto WI 16

160 ft · 9 sec · West Wisconsin Street

Continue on WI 16

0.4 mi · 36 sec · West Wisconsin Street

Continue on WI 16

14 mi · 19 min · State Highway 16

Continue on WI 13

2.5 mi · 3 min · State Highway 13

Continue on WI 13

21 mi · 28 min · State Highway 13

Use the straight lane.

Continue on WI 13

1.8 mi · 5 min · South Main Street

Turn left onto West 4th Street

152 ft · 6 sec · West 4th Street

Arrive at destination

West 4th Street

Trip Plan

Since this trip is a quick 2-hour drive, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Janesville anytime in the morning or early afternoon should get you to Friendship with plenty of daylight. With only 111.4 miles and a $17 fuel cost, you won't need to worry much about frequent stops for gas. The longest stretch is 67 miles on I 39, so consider a brief rest stop before or after that segment if needed. This is a drive where you can easily pack snacks and drinks to minimize stops, allowing you to reach Friendship efficiently.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 55.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI, or about 1h 4m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 25 miles or 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 55.7 miles or 1h 4m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 49m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Friendship, WI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving City of Janesville, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from City of Janesville, WI

This is one driving day of about 111.4 miles and 2h 19m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from City of Janesville, WI.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on I 39 for about 67 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Poynette, WI

56 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

Cottage Grove, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Poynette, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 55.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 39 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 67 miles.

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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 71.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Harrison Street

Turn right onto Harrison Street

Navigation decision point

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Milwaukee Street

Turn left onto East Milwaukee Street

Navigation decision point

4.2 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 39; I 90

Merge onto I 39; I 90

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

65.5 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in | I 39

Keep slight right at fork onto I 39 toward WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Portage, Wausau

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 108A; 108B Toward WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Porta...

71.6 mi into trip | ~1h 21m in | WI 16 / West Wisconsin Street

Enter roundabout onto WI 16 / West Wisconsin Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$17.42 one way

$34.83 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 39 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$19.12	$38.24
premium	$4.89	$21.44	$42.88
diesel	$5.61	$24.60	$49.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 39 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	33.4	$11.70	$5.35
Efficient EV	27.9	$9.75	$4.46
EV Truck/SUV	44.6	$15.60	$7.13

Gas CO2

39 kg

EV CO2

13 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

City of Janesville, WI

Morning in City of Janesville on Sunday

Local time

7:35 AM

CDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Friendship, WI

Morning in Friendship on Sunday

Local time

7:35 AM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

2h 19m 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 94% of the journey on high-speed roads. You'll encounter the longest stretch of uninterrupted driving on I 39, covering 67 miles. The road character is consistent for much of the trip, dominated by the efficiency of interstate travel. Expect a practical, no-frills experience for the majority of your 111.4 miles, making it easy to maintain a steady pace. The transition to State Highway 13 will offer a slight change in scenery as you approach your destination.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 67 mi on I 39.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and State Highway 13. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 19m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Milwaukee Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 39; I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between City of Janesville, WI and Friendship, WI, road signs point toward Portage and Wausau.

Portage

65.5 mi in | ~1h 15m | via I 39

Wausau

65.5 mi in | ~1h 15m | via I 39

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 19m. Total distance: 111.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 67 miles on I 39. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Friendship, 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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Return Trip

Friendship, WI to City of Janesville, WI

Plan the drive back the other way.

110.7 mi 2h 18m

Explore more options from City of Janesville, WI or browse trips ending in Friendship, WI.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WI road trips.

Trip from City of Janesville, WI to Friendship, WI

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

City of Janesville, WI

Friendship, WI

Same local time

4 degrees cooler at arrival

2h 19m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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