Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
14.5 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Menomonee Falls, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Shorewood, WI
Tom Fisk
If you are planning a quick excursion within the Midwest, this 14.5-mile trip from Menomonee Falls to Shorewood is an ideal short-distance journey. Expect to spend about 28 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day outing that requires no overnight stay. Navigating the route involves a blend of Main Street and Pilgrim Road before transitioning to I-41 South. Budgeting roughly $2 for fuel will easily cover the entire trip. Since both the origin and destination are located within Wisconsin, you will stay firmly within the familiar landscape of the region throughout the drive.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Capitol Drive | 4.5 mi | 12m |
| Fond du Lac Freeway | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| I 41 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| West Fond du Lac Avenue | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Pilgrim Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Capitol Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Appleton Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Menomonee Falls, WI and Shorewood, WI.
Start on WI 175
Turn left onto Main Street
Turn left onto Pilgrim Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto WI 145
Continue on WI 145
Turn left onto WI 190
Continue on WI 190
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 9.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 41 South, US 45 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward WI 145
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward WI 145 South, I 94 Alternate East: Fond du Lac Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto WI 145 / Fond du Lac Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto WI 190 / West Capitol Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.27 one way
$4.53 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.49 | $4.98 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.79 | $5.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.20 | $6.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 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 | 4.4 | 0 | $1.52 | $0.70 |
| Efficient EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.03 | $0.93 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Menomonee Falls on Sunday
Local time
6:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Shorewood on Sunday
Local time
6:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition between municipal roads and the interstate. You will find that the route avoids the monotony of a long-distance highway slog, as it maintains a 0% highway share for the primary local navigation segments. Because the total distance is only 14.5 miles, you won't encounter any exceptionally long, uninterrupted stretches of road. Instead, prepare for a series of turns that keep the driving experience engaging rather than passive. It is a straightforward, functional transit that connects these two Wisconsin communities efficiently.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 14.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 14.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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