Origin
City of Janesville, WI
Morning in City of Janesville on Sunday
Local time
7:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Janesville, WI to Poynette, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
59.7 mi
96 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
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
Poynette, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Janesville to Poynette, you are in for a straightforward 59.7-mile journey through the Wisconsin countryside. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 15 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. You won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay, as the distance is easily manageable in one go. Budgeting roughly $9 for fuel should keep you covered for the entire trip. Since the drive stays entirely within the Midwest, you will experience a consistent regional feel as you transition between these two Wisconsin communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 39 | 37.8 mi | 40m |
| US Highway 51 | 14.4 mi | 20m |
| Milton Avenue | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| US HIghway 51 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Seward Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Milwaukee Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harrison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 37.8 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Janesville, WI and Poynette, WI.
1
Start on East Court Street
148 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Court Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Street
513 ft
·
26 sec
·
Harrison Street
3
Turn left onto East Milwaukee Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Milwaukee Street
4
Turn sharp right onto Milton Avenue
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Milton Avenue
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
6
Merge onto I 39; I 90
38 mi
·
40 min
·
I 39; I 90
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 132
Toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Forest
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US-51 NORTH: DeForest
Use the left / right lanes.
9
Merge onto US 51; CTH CV
10 mi
·
14 min
·
US Highway 51
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Enter roundabout onto US 51; WI 60
214 ft
·
3 sec
·
US HIghway 51
11
Continue on US 51; WI 60
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US HIghway 51
12
Continue on US 51
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
US Highway 51
13
Turn left onto East Seward Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Seward Street
14
Turn left onto CTH Q; CTH CS
510 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Main Street
15
Arrive at destination
CTH Q; CTH CS
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 29.9 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 42.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Harrison Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
5
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.
8
42 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Forest
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 132
Toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Fores...
8
42.3 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US-51 NORTH: DeForest
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward US-51 NORTH: DeForest
5
42.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 51; CTH CV / US Highway 51
Merge onto US 51; CTH CV / US Highway 51
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.33 one way
$18.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.25 | $20.50 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.49 | $22.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.18 | $26.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 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 | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.9 | 0 | $8.36 | $3.82 |
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
Poynette, WI
Morning in Poynette on Sunday
Local time
7:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
66°F
McFarland, WI
30 mi in
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
1 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 15m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will navigate through city streets including Harrison Street, East Milwaukee Street, and Milton Avenue to get underway. Because there is zero highway share on this route, your pace will be dictated by local traffic and road geometry rather than open-road cruising. This creates a technical driving experience that requires your full attention as you wind your way through the local landscape. It is a refreshing change of pace if you prefer staying off major freeways.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.8 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and US Highway 51. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.7 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 (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 39; I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 42 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 Poynette, WI, road signs begin pointing toward De Forest along the way.
De Forest
42 mi in
|
~49m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 59.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.8 miles on I 39. 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 Poynette, 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: near the start (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 39; I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 42 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 Poynette, 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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