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Trip from Franklin, WI to Brookfield, WI

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

Drive Time

26m

Distance

15.7 mi

25 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 24m ★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m

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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Downtown Franklin, WI, WI

Franklin, WI

Tom Fisk

city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

Brookfield, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Franklin, WI to Brookfield, WI is 15.7 miles and takes about 26m via Zoo Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Wisconsin, connecting two points in the Midwest. The drive is a mixed bag, offering a taste of both highway speeds and local road navigation. It's a convenient option for a quick local excursion or a segment of a larger regional journey, easily completed within a single day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Zoo Freeway 6.8 mi 9m
South Lovers Lane Road 4.4 mi 8m
West North Avenue 2.7 mi 5m
US 45 1 mi 2m
Rock Freeway 0.2 mi <1m
West Saint Martins Road 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Zoo Freeway — 6.8 mi, about 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, WI and Brookfield, WI.

1

Start on this road

141 ft · 11 sec · this road
2

Turn right

89 ft · 8 sec
3

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

384 ft · 16 sec · US 45
4

Turn left onto US 45; WI 100

0.1 mi · 14 sec · West Saint Martins Road
5

Continue on US 45; WI 100

4.4 mi · 8 min · South Lovers Lane Road
6

Take the ramp onto US 45

0.4 mi · 52 sec · US 45
Toward I 43 North, US 45 North
7

Merge onto I 43; US 45

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Rock Freeway
8

Take the exit onto US 45

0.6 mi · 55 sec · US 45
Exit 61 Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
9

Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45

6.8 mi · 9 min · Zoo Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 44 sec
Exit 42B Toward North Avenue West
11

Turn straight onto West North Avenue

2.7 mi · 5 min · West North Avenue
12

Arrive at destination

CTH M

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12.7 — 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

Turn right

Navigation decision point

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 45

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

Navigation decision point

6
5.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | US 45

Take the exit onto US 45 toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 61 Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fon...
5
5.9 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway

Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway

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

Use the slight right lane.
5
12.7 mi into trip | ~20m in

Take the exit toward North Avenue West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 42B Toward North Avenue West

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.45 one way

$4.91 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.69 $5.39
premium $4.89 $3.02 $6.04
diesel $5.61 $3.47 $6.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.7 0 $1.65 $0.75
Efficient EV 3.9 0 $1.37 $0.63
EV Truck/SUV 6.3 0 $2.20 $1.00

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Franklin, WI

Late night in Franklin on Sunday

Local time

1:02 AM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Partly Sunny

W 15 to 20 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 6:43AM CDT until April 20 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 6:40AM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Destination

Brookfield, WI

Late night in Brookfield on Sunday

Local time

1:02 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

26m 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 route features a 52% highway share, meaning you'll experience a significant portion on faster-paced roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.8 miles on Zoo Freeway, offering a period of steady driving. As you progress, the drive transitions from the Zoo Freeway to South Lovers Lane Road and finally West North Avenue, indicating a shift from a more direct highway feel to more local street driving. This mixed drive profile suggests a dynamic journey with varied road conditions.

52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.8 mi on Zoo Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 15.7 miles you will encounter 8 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (US 45): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 45): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Between Franklin, WI and Brookfield, WI, road signs point toward Madison and Avenue West.

Madison

5.3 mi in | ~10m | via US 45

Avenue West

12.7 mi in | ~20m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 15.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 6.8 miles on Zoo Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: Navigation decision point; near the start (US 45): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (US 45): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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