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Trip from Kenosha, WI to Rochester, WI

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

46m

Distance

29.6 mi

48 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m

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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city in and county seat of Kenosha County, Wisconsin and part of the Chicago metropolitan area, known as Chicagoland

Kenosha, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Rochester, WI, WI

Rochester, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Kenosha to Rochester is 29.6 miles and takes about 46m via Washington Avenue and I 41, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Wisconsin, moving you from the Midwest region of Kenosha to the Midwest region of Rochester. The route offers a blend of highway speeds and local road cruising, making it a straightforward trip suitable for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger road trip. With minimal driving time and a low fuel cost, it's an accessible option for most travelers.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Washington Avenue 9.3 mi 13m
I 41 7 mi 7m
State Highway 20 4.5 mi 7m
Burlington Road 3.7 mi 6m
Washington Road 3 mi 6m
Sheridan Road 1 mi 2m
East Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
56th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Washington Avenue — 9.3 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kenosha, WI and Rochester, WI.

1

Start on 56th Street

265 ft · 11 sec · 56th Street
2

Turn right onto WI 32

1.0 mi · 2 min · Sheridan Road
3

Turn left onto CTH S

3.0 mi · 6 min · Washington Road
Use the straight lane.
4

Continue on Burlington Road

3.7 mi · 6 min · Burlington Road
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
6

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41

7.0 mi · 7 min · I 41; I 94; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Exit 333 Toward WI 20: Racine, Mount Pleasant Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork

292 ft · 9 sec
Toward WI 20 West: Yorkville, Waterford Use the left / straight lanes.
9

Turn left onto WI 20

0.7 mi · 1 min · Washington Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
10

Enter roundabout onto WI 20

96 ft · 5 sec · Washington Avenue
11

Continue on WI 20

4.5 mi · 6 min · Washington Avenue
12

Enter roundabout onto US 45; WI 20

91 ft · 5 sec · Washington Avenue
13

Continue on US 45; WI 20

1.0 mi · 1 min · Washington Avenue
14

Enter roundabout onto WI 20

114 ft · 2 sec · Washington Avenue
15

Continue on WI 20

2.1 mi · 2 min · Washington Avenue
16

Enter roundabout onto WI 20

112 ft · 6 sec · State Highway 20
17

Continue on WI 20

4.5 mi · 7 min · State Highway 20
18

Turn left onto CTH D

1.0 mi · 1 min · Washington Avenue
19

Continue on CTH D

0.3 mi · 43 sec · East Main Street
20

Arrive at destination

CTH D

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 15.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | CTH S / Washington Road

Turn left onto CTH S / Washington Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
7.8 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the ramp toward I 41 North, I 94 West

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
5
8.1 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 41; I 94; US 41

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.1 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward WI 20: Racine, Mount Pleasant

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 333 Toward WI 20: Racine, Mount Pleasant
9
15.4 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward WI 20 West: Yorkville, Waterford

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left / straight lanes. Toward WI 20 West: Yorkville, Waterford

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.63 one way

$9.26 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.08 $10.16
premium $4.89 $5.70 $11.39
diesel $5.61 $6.54 $13.07

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.9 0 $3.11 $1.42
Efficient EV 7.4 0 $2.59 $1.18
EV Truck/SUV 11.8 0 $4.14 $1.89

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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

Kenosha, WI

Morning in Kenosha on Tuesday

Local time

8:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Partly Sunny

W 20 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 12:59PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 12:37PM CDT until April 24 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Destination

Rochester, WI

Morning in Rochester on Tuesday

Local time

8:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Partly Sunny

W 20 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 12:59PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 12:37PM CDT until April 24 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

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 cooler at arrival

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

Road read

46m 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?

About 39% of this 29.6-mile drive is on highways, with the longest stretch on a surface road being 9.3 miles along Washington Avenue. You'll experience a mix of cruising at higher speeds and navigating local traffic. Expect a noticeable transition as you move between the interstate and surface roads, which can involve more frequent intersections and varied speed limits. The highway portions offer efficient travel, while the surface road sections will require more active attention.

39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Washington Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near CTH S / Washington Road.

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 29.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 1 miles (CTH S / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Kenosha, WI and Rochester, WI, road signs point toward Mount Pleasant and Waterford.

Mount Pleasant

15.1 mi in | ~23m

Waterford

15.4 mi in | ~24m

About the Cities

Starting in Kenosha, WI

Full guide →

Kenosha is Wisconsin's fourth largest city. It is in the state's southeast region. Many of its residents commute to jobs elsewhere, leading to its appellation as "Chicago's northernmost suburb."

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 46m. Total distance: 29.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Washington Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Rochester, 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 miles (CTH S / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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