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Trip from Racine, WI to Brookfield, WI

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

56m

Distance

36.6 mi

59 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 52m ★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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city in and county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States

Racine, WI

Wikimedia Commons

city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

Brookfield, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Racine, WI to Brookfield, WI covers 36.6 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 41, Douglas Avenue, Airport Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9 miles on I 41. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.67 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 41 9 mi 12m
Douglas Avenue 8.3 mi 13m
Airport Freeway 4.6 mi 6m
North-South Freeway 4.5 mi 5m
West Ryan Road 4 mi 6m
West North Avenue 2.7 mi 5m
South Chicago Road 1.8 mi 3m
Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 41 — 9 mi, about 12m

Traffic on I-94

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~5,914 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~334 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

17.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 101 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Racine, WI and Brookfield, WI.

1

Start on WI 20; WI 32

69 ft · 10 sec · 7th Street
2

Turn left onto WI 32

0.7 mi · 1 min · Main Street
3

Turn left onto WI 32

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Hamilton Street
4

Turn right onto WI 32

8.3 mi · 13 min · Douglas Avenue
Use the straight lane.
5

Continue on WI 32

1.8 mi · 3 min · South Chicago Road
6

Turn straight

0.1 mi · 22 sec
7

Turn left onto WI 100

4.0 mi · 6 min · West Ryan Road
8

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee
9

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41

4.5 mi · 5 min · North-South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41

0.6 mi · 49 sec · I 41; I 94; US 41
Exit 317 Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du Lac Use the slight right lane.
11

Continue on I 41; US 41

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 41; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41

4.6 mi · 6 min · Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41

7.4 mi · 10 min · I 41; I 894; US 41
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac Use the slight right lane.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 44 sec
Exit 42B Toward North Avenue West
15

Turn straight onto West North Avenue

2.7 mi · 5 min · West North Avenue
16

Arrive at destination

CTH M

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

South Milwaukee, WI

18 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

Butler, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

South Milwaukee, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Racine, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 26.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in | WI 32 / Douglas Avenue

Turn right onto WI 32 / Douglas Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
15.6 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 41; I 94; US 41 / North-South Freeway

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41 / North-South Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
20 mi into trip | ~32m 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...
5
21.7 mi into trip | ~34m in | I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41 / Airport Freeway

Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41 / Airport Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26.3 mi into trip | ~40m 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...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.67 one way

$11.35 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $6.22 $12.44
premium $4.93 $7.10 $14.20
diesel $5.60 $8.07 $16.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11 0 $3.84 $1.76
Efficient EV 9.2 0 $3.20 $1.46
EV Truck/SUV 14.6 0 $5.12 $2.34

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 Aug 26, 2026

Origin

Racine, WI

Evening in Racine on Saturday

Local time

7:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

W 10 mph 36% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 26 at 3:03AM CDT until August 26 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Destination

Brookfield, WI

Evening in Brookfield on Saturday

Local time

7:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

W 10 to 15 mph 23% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 26 at 3:03AM CDT until August 26 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

56m 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?

36.6 mi in 56m — 49% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 41.

49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on I 41.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near WI 32 / Douglas Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 36.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (WI 32 / Douglas Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41 / North-South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

829 ft 624 ft

Total Climb

362 ft

Total Descent

157 ft

Highest Point

829 ft

~36.6 mi in

Elevation Range

205 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Racine, WI and Brookfield, WI, road signs point toward Fond Du Lac and Avenue West.

Fond Du Lac

20 mi in | ~32m | via I 41; I 94; US 41

Avenue West

33.6 mi in | ~50m

About the Cities

Starting in Racine, WI

Full guide →

Founded 1699

Racine is a city of 77,000 people (2019) in Southeast Wisconsin along Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. It is the county seat of Racine County.

Top landmarks

  • • Johnson Wax Headquarters — corporate headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin
  • • Thomas P. Hardy House — historic house in Wisconsin, United States
  • • Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station — lighthouse in Wisconsin, United States

Arriving in Brookfield, WI

Full guide →

Brookfield is a city and town in Wisconsin.

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 56m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9 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 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 0.9 miles (WI 32 / Douglas Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41 / North-South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (I 41; I 94; 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 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, 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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