Origin
Johnson Creek, WI
Late night in Johnson Creek on Saturday
Local time
12:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Johnson Creek, WI to Wauwatosa, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
41.8 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Johnson Creek, WI
Tom Fisk
Wauwatosa, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Johnson Creek, WI to Wauwatosa, WI covers 41.8 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, West Watertown Plank Road, WI 26 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 36.6 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 36.6 mi | 40m |
| West Watertown Plank Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| WI 26 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Zoo Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Milwaukee Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Harwood Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Harmonee Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Menomonee River Parkway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 36.6 mi, about 40m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 116 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,926 veh/hr typical · worst 4,550
Quietest
2 AM
~198 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Johnson Creek, WI and Wauwatosa, WI.
1
Start on South Watertown Street
109 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Watertown Street
2
Turn left onto CTH B; CTH Y
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Milwaukee Street
3
Turn left onto WI 26
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
WI 26
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 94
37 mi
·
40 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 305B
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
Zoo Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 40A-B
Toward Watertown Plank Road
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 40A
Toward Watertown Plank Road East
Use the right lane.
11
Turn straight onto West Watertown Plank Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Watertown Plank Road
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on Harwood Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Harwood Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto WI 181
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Harmonee Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn right onto West Menomonee River Parkway
498 ft
·
21 sec
·
West Menomonee River Parkway
15
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Johnson Creek, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 40.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
38.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
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 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
9
38.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 305B
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
7
40 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Watertown Plank Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 40A-B
Toward Watertown Plank Road
9
40.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Watertown Plank Road East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 40A
Toward Watertown Plank Road East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.48 one way
$12.96 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $7.11 | $14.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.11 | $16.22 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.21 | $18.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $2.68 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Wauwatosa, WI
Late night in Wauwatosa on Saturday
Local time
12:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
2 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
51m 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?
41.8 mi in 51m, mostly highway — 36.6 mi of that is on I 94.
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: 36.6 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and West Watertown Plank Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 41.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
963 ft
662 ft
Total Climb
229 ft
Total Descent
385 ft
Highest Point
963 ft
~20.8 mi in
Elevation Range
301 ft
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 Johnson Creek, WI to Wauwatosa, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Fond Du Lac along the way.
Fond Du Lac
38.1 mi in
|
~43m
About the Cities
Starting in Johnson Creek, WI
Full guide →Johnson Creek is a small village in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Arriving in Wauwatosa, WI
Full guide →Wauwatosa is in Southeast Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
- • Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church — church building in Wauwatosa, United States of America
- • Lowell Damon House — historic house in Wisconsin, United States
- • Thomas B. Hart House — historic house in Wisconsin, United States
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 51m. Total distance: 41.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m 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 36.6 miles on I 94. 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 Wauwatosa, 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 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Wauwatosa, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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