Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 6m
Distance
91.2 mi
147 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mequon, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Portage, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Mequon to Portage is 91.2 miles and takes about 2h 6m via State Highway 16, State Highway 33, and US 151, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, connecting two points in Wisconsin. It's a mostly highway trip, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for efficiency. Plan for about 85% of your travel to be on higher-speed roads. With a duration under three hours, this route is ideal for a same-day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.6 miles from Mequon, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 16 | 22.7 mi | 31m |
| State Highway 33 | 21.2 mi | 30m |
| US 151 | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| I 41 | 13 mi | 13m |
| West Mequon Road | 5.8 mi | 10m |
| WI 167 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| US Highway 51 & State Highway 16 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| East Wisconsin Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,190 veh/hr typical · worst 2,706
Quietest
1 AM
~127 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 102 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Mequon, WI and Portage, WI.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn left onto North Swan Road
Turn left onto WI 167
Continue on WI 167
Take the ramp onto WI 167
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41
Take the exit
Turn left onto WI 33; CTH W
Continue on WI 33
Enter roundabout onto WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Continue on Lake Street
Turn left onto WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Turn right onto Washington Street
Continue on WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Turn left
Merge onto US 151
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto WI 16; WI 60
Continue on WI 16
Turn straight onto US 51; WI 16
Continue on US 51; WI 16
Turn left onto WI 33
Arrive at destination
Given the 2h 6m duration, departing Mequon in the morning allows ample time to reach Portage without feeling rushed. You can easily complete this trip in one day, so flexibility is key. While there are no specified stops, consider breaking up the 91.2 miles if needed, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $12, but it's always wise to start with a full tank. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads, as this is where speeds will change.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.6 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Portage, WI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Mequon, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Mequon, WI
This is one driving day of about 91.2 miles and 2h 6m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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.
A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 45.6 miles from Mequon, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 63.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto North Swan Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn left onto WI 167 / West Mequon Road
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward WI 33, CTH W: Allenton, West Bend
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward WI 16, WI 60: Columbus, Portage
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$14.14 one way
$28.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $15.50 | $31.01 |
| premium | $4.93 | $17.69 | $35.39 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $20.10 | $40.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.58 | $4.38 |
| Efficient EV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.98 | $3.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 36.5 | 0 | $12.77 | $5.84 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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
Evening in Mequon on Friday
Local time
5:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Clear
Destination
Evening in Portage on Friday
Local time
5:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Clear
57°F
Juneau, WI
46 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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.
Expect to spend about 85% of your 91.2 miles on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 22.7 miles on State Highway 16. You'll transition from highway driving to surface roads for the remaining portion of the trip. This means you'll encounter a mix of faster-paced travel and potentially more local traffic as you near your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 16 and State Highway 33. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Swan Road.
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 91.2 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 0.1 miles (North Swan Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (WI 167 / West Mequon Road): Navigation decision point; at 11.1 miles (I 41; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
564 ft
Total Descent
501 ft
Highest Point
1,127 ft
~32.6 mi in
Elevation Range
391 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Mequon, WI and Portage, WI, road signs point toward Bend, Appleton and Cth W: Allenton.
Bend
Appleton
Cth W: Allenton
Founded 1957
Founded 1854
Portage is a city in Southwest Wisconsin, that bears the slogan "Where the North begins."
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 6m. Total distance: 91.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). 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, 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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