Origin
Oak Brook, IL
Morning in Oak Brook on Tuesday
Local time
8:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Brook, IL to Waukegan, IL
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
57m
Distance
43.7 mi
70 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Brook, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Oak Brook, IL to Waukegan, IL is 43.7 miles and takes about 57 minutes via Tri-State Tollway and Belvidere Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Illinois, offering a straightforward drive for locals or visitors. Expect a route that involves frequent turns, so keep your navigation handy. It's a relatively short drive, making it ideal for a quick day trip without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 37 mi | 45m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| York Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| 22nd Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Oak Brook Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 37 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Brook, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on Oak Brook Road
71 ft
·
8 sec
·
Oak Brook Road
2
Turn left onto York Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
York Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto 22nd Street
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
22nd Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 294
181 ft
·
2 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
37 mi
·
45 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
9
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
10
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Oak Brook, IL, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
York Road
Turn left onto York Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
38.8 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.50 | $15.00 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.41 | $16.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.65 | $19.30 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.22
Tri-state Tollway
(37 mi)
$2.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
8:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Cloudy
WNW 15 to 20 mph
9% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 5:50AM CDT until April 21 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 5:48AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
57m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you won't be on a constant interstate for the entire journey. With a 0% highway share, expect to navigate a series of local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 37 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, which offers a more consistent pace before you transition to more frequent turns. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience as you move from the tollway onto roads like Belvidere Road and Belvidere Street, which will require your attention for navigation.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near York Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 43.7 miles you will encounter 7 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 (York Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Oak Brook, IL
Full guide →Founded 1958
Oak Brook is a village in the Western Suburbs of Chicago, within the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor, one of the principal economic centers in Chicagoland.
Top landmarks
- • Mayslake Peabody Estate — historic house in Illinois, United States
Arriving in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →Waukegan is in the Far North Suburbs of the Chicagoland region of Illinois. It sits on Lake Michigan, has a large harbor, and is the county seat of Lake County, Illinois.
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 57m. Total distance: 43.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.22 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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: near the start (York Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waukegan, IL 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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