Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
39 mi
63 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Berlin, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Whitewater, WI
Wikimedia Commons
New Berlin, WI to Whitewater, WI is 39 miles and takes about 54 minutes via Rock Freeway and State Highway 20, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Midwest region, connecting two Wisconsin locales. It's a straightforward drive primarily on major roads, making it ideal for a quick trip or an easy add-on to a longer itinerary. You won't spend much time on the road, so it's a great option if you're looking for efficiency and minimal travel time.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Freeway | 17.9 mi | 19m |
| State Highway 20 | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Iron Brigade Memorial Highway | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| North Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| South Moorland Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Milwaukee Street | 1 mi | 3m |
| Elkhorn Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| West Center Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,907 veh/hr typical · worst 2,305
Quietest
2 AM
~72 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
26.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 89 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between New Berlin, WI and Whitewater, WI.
Start on West National Avenue
Turn left onto CTH O
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 43
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right onto WI 20
Continue on WI 20
Continue on WI 20
Turn right onto US 12
Turn right onto WI 59; US 12 Business
Enter roundabout onto WI 59; US 12 Business
Continue on WI 59; US 12 Business
Turn slight left onto WI 59; US 12 Business
Turn left onto West Whitewater Street
Turn right onto West Center Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.5 miles from New Berlin, 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 1.5 and 39 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 43 South
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward WI 20: East Troy
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Enter roundabout onto WI 59; US 12 Business
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto West Center Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$6.05 one way
$12.09 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $6.63 | $13.26 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.57 | $15.13 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.60 | $17.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.87 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.41 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 New Berlin on Tuesday
Local time
8:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Whitewater on Tuesday
Local time
8:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
60°F
La Grange, WI
20 mi in
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.
About 65% of this drive is on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 17.9 miles on Rock Freeway. You'll experience mostly highway cruising for a significant portion of the trip. The route transitions from highway to surface roads, so expect a change in pace and exit density. The main roads involved are Rock Freeway, State Highway 20, and Iron Brigade Memorial Highway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Rock Freeway and State Highway 20. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
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 39 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: at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 19.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
323 ft
Total Descent
418 ft
Highest Point
985 ft
~33.5 mi in
Elevation Range
197 ft
Founded 1840
New Berlin is in Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
For information about rafting, kayaking, and canoeing on whitewater rivers, see Whitewater sports. Whitewater is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 39 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). 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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