Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
22.3 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Milwaukee, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Grafton, WI
Tom Fisk
The drive from Milwaukee, WI to Grafton, WI covers 22.3 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North-South Freeway, Washington Street, West Kilbourn Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.8 miles on North-South Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North-South Freeway | 18.8 mi | 23m |
| Washington Street | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| West Kilbourn Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Wisconsin Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Plankinton Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Milwaukee Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 39 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~4,158 veh/hr typical · worst 4,975
Quietest
2 AM
~275 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.1×
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 Milwaukee, WI and Grafton, WI.
Start on US 18; WI 32
Turn right onto East Wisconsin Avenue
Turn right onto North Plankinton Avenue
Turn left onto West Kilbourn Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 43
Take the exit
Turn left onto WI 60
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto East Wisconsin Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto North Plankinton Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto West Kilbourn Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 43 / North-South Freeway toward I 43 North: Green Bay
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward WI 60, CTH Q: Grafton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.46 one way
$6.91 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $3.79 | $7.58 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.92 | $9.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Afternoon in Milwaukee on Friday
Local time
3:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in Grafton on Friday
Local time
3:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
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.
22.3 mi in 31m, mostly highway — 18.8 mi of that is on North-South Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North-South Freeway and Washington Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Wisconsin Avenue.
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 22.3 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (East Wisconsin Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Plankinton Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (West Kilbourn Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
199 ft
Total Descent
57 ft
Highest Point
757 ft
~22.3 mi in
Elevation Range
142 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Milwaukee, WI to Grafton, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Cth Q: Grafton along the way.
Cth Q: Grafton
“Mil Town” · Founded 1846
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.
Top landmarks
Grafton is a village in Southeast Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 22.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Milwaukee, WI or browse trips ending in Grafton, WI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WI road trips.
