Origin
Milwaukee, WI
Late night in Milwaukee on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Milwaukee, WI to Brookfield, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
12.6 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Milwaukee, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Brookfield, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 12.6-mile drive from Milwaukee to Brookfield, Wisconsin, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 20 minutes. Primarily utilizing the East-West Freeway and Zoo Freeway, this route offers a focused highway experience. Given its short distance and duration, it's perfect as a single-day excursion with no need for an overnight stay. You can expect a modest fuel cost of around $2 for this journey. The route stays within the Midwest region, connecting two points in Wisconsin without significant landscape shifts.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East-West Freeway | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| West North Avenue | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Zoo Freeway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| North Jackson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Wisconsin Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Milwaukee Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East-West Freeway
— 6.1 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Milwaukee, WI and Brookfield, WI.
1
Start on US 18; WI 32
45 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Milwaukee Street
2
Turn left onto East Wisconsin Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Wisconsin Avenue
3
Turn right onto North Jackson Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Jackson Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 794 West
Use the straight / slight right / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 794
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East-West Freeway
6
Continue on I 794
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
East-West Freeway
Exit 1A
Toward I 94 West: Madison
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 305A-B
Toward I 41, US 45, I 894: Fond du Lac, Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 305B
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Zoo Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 42B
Toward North Avenue West
11
Turn straight onto West North Avenue
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
West North Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
CTH M
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Jackson Street
Turn right onto North Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 794 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right / right lanes.
Toward I 794 West
8
6.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 41, US 45, I 894: Fond du Lac, Chicago
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, US 45, I 894: Fond du Lac, Chicago
9
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m 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 straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 305B
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
5
7.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 41; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway
Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45 / Zoo Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.97 one way
$3.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.42 | $4.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.78 | $5.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.32 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.81 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Brookfield, WI
Late night in Brookfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
1 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
20m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for this route, with 66% of the journey taking place on freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 6.1 miles along the East-West Freeway, offering a consistent pace. You'll experience the efficiency of major roadways like the East-West Freeway and Zoo Freeway, facilitating a smooth and direct transit. While predominantly highway, the integration of West North Avenue provides a slight variation in the driving experience. This character makes for a predictable and efficient trip.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.1 mi on East-West Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East-West Freeway and West North Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Jackson Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 12.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Jackson Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Milwaukee, WI and Brookfield, WI, road signs point toward Chicago and Avenue West.
Chicago
6.7 mi in
|
~10m
Avenue West
9.6 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Starting in Milwaukee, WI
Full guide →Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, United States. The city celebrates its heritage as a major center for beer-brewing, and of it German and Polish communities. It is now known for its many festivals. The city's population is about 600,000 with about 1.6 million in the metropolitan area (2019). It is in the southeastern portion of the state on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
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 20m. Total distance: 12.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.1 miles on East-West Freeway. 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 Brookfield, 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 0.1 miles (North Jackson Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Brookfield, 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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