Origin
Hickory Hills, IL
Morning in Hickory Hills on Sunday
Local time
9:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hickory Hills, 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 13m
Distance
55.7 mi
90 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 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hickory Hills, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 55.7-mile drive from Hickory Hills, IL to Waukegan, IL will take you about 1 hour and 13 minutes. It's a straightforward trip primarily using the Tri-State Tollway and local roads like Belvidere Road and Belvidere Street. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, this is an easy one-day excursion. The route stays within the Midwest region, making it a simple point-to-point journey. Given the short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, allowing for a flexible schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 49.1 mi | 59m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| West 95th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Roberts Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 91st Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 49.1 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hickory Hills, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on 91st Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
91st Street
2
Turn right onto South Roberts Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roberts Road
3
Turn left onto US 12; US 20
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 95th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
5
Merge onto I 294
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
37 mi
·
45 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
9
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
10
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Hickory Hills, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 54.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Roberts Road
Turn right onto South Roberts Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
13.8 mi into trip
|
~19m 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
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m 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
5
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
Glen Rock Avenue
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.71 one way
$17.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.56 | $19.12 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.72 | $21.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.30 | $24.60 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.95
Tri-state Tollway
(49.1 mi)
$2.95
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $2.67 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.80 | $3.56 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (63% 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
Morning in Waukegan on Sunday
Local time
9:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Widespread Fog
ESE 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 16 at 8:07PM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 16 at 8:07PM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
28 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 13m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and arterial roads for the majority of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 49.1 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, which will transition you into the local road network. This route offers a consistent driving experience without long periods of highway cruising, requiring your attention to traffic signals and turns.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.1 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near South Roberts Road.
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 55.7 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: at 0.4 miles (South Roberts Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
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 13m. Total distance: 55.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.1 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.95 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.
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 0.4 miles (South Roberts Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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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