Origin
Justice, IL
Evening in Justice on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Justice, 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 6m
Distance
51.4 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Justice, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 51.4-mile drive from Justice, Illinois, to Waukegan, Illinois, is a straightforward journey that takes about 1 hour and 6 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, easily completed without needing an overnight stop. You'll mainly navigate via the Tri-State Tollway and local roads like Belvidere Road and Belvidere Street. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The route is predominantly local, offering a practical way to travel within the Midwest region of Illinois. Plan for a relatively quick and efficient transit between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 46.6 mi | 56m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Jackson Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 46.6 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Justice, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on I 294
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
2
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
37 mi
·
45 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
5
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
6
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
8
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Justice, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Depart onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.6 mi into trip
|
~11m 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
46.6 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
Glen Rock Avenue
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
50.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
South Jackson Street
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.04 one way
$16.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.82 | $17.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.35 | $22.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.80
Tri-state Tollway
(46.6 mi)
$2.80
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$3
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.20 | $3.29 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Waukegan, IL
Evening in Waukegan on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 10 to 20 mph
100% chance
Live forecast
Tornado Watch
Tornado Watch issued April 17 at 8:56PM CDT until April 17 at 11:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Tornado Watch
Tornado Watch issued April 17 at 8:56PM CDT until April 17 at 10:00PM 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
29 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 6m 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 for this 51.4-mile stretch, with a 0% highway share contributing to its character. While there's a significant uninterrupted stretch of 46.6 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, the overall profile leans towards more frequent turns and transitions as you get closer to your destination. This means you'll likely experience a mix of faster tollway speeds and slower, more engaged driving on local streets. The road's personality shifts from open highway to a more urban or suburban navigation as you progress.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.6 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 6m drive. You will face about 5 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 (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 6m. Total distance: 51.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.6 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.80 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: near the start (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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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