If you are planning a trip from Oak Creek to Combined Locks, expect a straightforward journey covering 123.4 miles. You can easily complete this drive in about 2 hours and 28 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Your travel budget should account for approximately $19 in fuel costs for the one-way trek. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the journey. This route is designed for efficiency, keeping you on major thoroughfares for the duration of your travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
61.7 miles from Oak Creek, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 41
100.6 mi
1h 52m
Tri-County Expressway
6.5 mi
7m
Airport Freeway
4.6 mi
6m
North-South Freeway
2.5 mi
3m
East Puetz Road
2.4 mi
5m
West Drexel Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
South Howell Avenue
1 mi
1m
West Kennedy Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 41
— 100.6 mi, about 1h 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Creek, WI and Combined Locks, WI.
1
Start on East Puetz Road
2.4 mi·5 min·East Puetz Road
2
Turn right onto WI 38
1.0 mi·1 min·South Howell Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto West Drexel Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·West Drexel Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·43 sec
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee
5
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
2.5 mi·3 min·North-South Freeway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41
0.6 mi·49 sec·I 41; I 94; US 41
Exit 317Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
7
Continue on I 41; US 41
1.1 mi·1 min·I 41; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41
4.6 mi·6 min·Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41
25 mi·30 min·I 41; I 894; US 41
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41
74 mi·1 hr 19 min·I 41; US 41
Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, AppletonUse the slight left lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·19 sec
Exit 134AToward US 10, WI 441 North: Stevens PointUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·45 sec
Exit 134AToward US 10 East, WI 441 North
13
Merge onto US 10; WI 441
0.5 mi·34 sec·Roland Kampo Memorial Bridge
14
Continue on US 10; WI 441
6.5 mi·7 min·Tri-County Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward CTH CE: College AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
509 ft·12 sec
17
Turn straight onto CTH CE
0.3 mi·27 sec·County Road CE
18
Enter roundabout onto CTH CE
160 ft·2 sec·County Road CE
19
Continue on CTH CE
0.3 mi·27 sec·County Road CE
20
Turn slight left
0.1 mi·24 sec
21
Turn left onto Railroad Street
0.2 mi·22 sec·Railroad Street
22
Enter roundabout onto Marcella Street
14 ft·0 sec·Marcella Street
23
Continue on Marcella Street
101 ft·2 sec·Marcella Street
24
Continue on West Kennedy Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·West Kennedy Avenue
25
Turn left onto CTH N
0.3 mi·53 sec·South Washington Street
26
Turn right onto Wallace Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Wallace Street
27
Arrive at destination
Wallace Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip with no mandatory stops required, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time. Aim to avoid peak traffic hours on I-41 to ensure you maintain that 2-hour and 28-minute travel time. Given the 123.4-mile distance, it is wise to check your fuel levels before merging onto the interstate to avoid unnecessary detours. Because the vast majority of your time is spent on major highways, keep a close eye on lane markers and merging traffic during the high-speed sections. Use this efficiency to your advantage, allowing you to reach Combined Locks quickly and with minimal logistical planning.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 61.7 miles from Oak Creek, WI, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 100.6 miles.
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 27 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.7 miles or 1h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Combined Locks, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oak Creek, 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 Oak Creek, WI
This is one driving day of about 123.4 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Oak Creek, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 41 for about 100.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.6 and 113.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
7.6 mi into trip|~14m in|I 41; I 94; US 41
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41 toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 317
Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Ma...
8
13.8 mi into trip|~22m in|I 41; I 894; US 41
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41 toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 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 slight right lane.
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US...
8
38.4 mi into trip|~53m in|I 41; US 41
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
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton
8
112.8 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 10, WI 441 North: Stevens Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 134A
Toward US 10, WI 441 North: Stevens Point
7
113.1 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 10 East, WI 441 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 134A
Toward US 10 East, WI 441 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.29 one way
$38.58 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$21.18
$42.36
premium
$4.89
$23.75
$47.49
diesel
$5.61
$27.25
$54.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37
0
$12.96
$5.92
Efficient EV
30.9
0
$10.80
$4.94
EV Truck/SUV
49.4
0
$17.28
$7.90
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Oak Creek, WI
Night
in Oak Creek on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Combined Locks, WI
Night
in Combined Locks on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 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
2h 28m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a focused, highway-heavy experience as 93% of this trip takes place on high-speed roads. You will rely primarily on I-41, the Tri-County Expressway, and the Airport Freeway to navigate toward your destination. The core of the drive features a significant 100.6-mile stretch on I-41, which serves as the backbone of your journey. Because the route is almost entirely highway-based, the pace remains consistent and predictable from start to finish. You should be prepared for a steady, interstate-style drive that prioritizes speed over local winding roads.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 100.6 mi on I 41.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 41 and Tri-County Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.6 miles in near I 41; I 94; US 41.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 123.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.6 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.4 miles (I 41; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Oak Creek, WI and Combined Locks, WI, road signs point toward Fond Du Lac and Appleton.
Fond Du Lac
7.6 mi in|~14m|via I 41; I 94; US 41
Appleton
38.4 mi in|~53m|via I 41; US 41
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 123.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 100.6 miles on I 41. 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 Combined Locks, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.6 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.4 miles (I 41; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Combined Locks, WI before heading back.
