Origin
Racine, WI
Morning in Racine on Saturday
Local time
7:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Racine, WI to Merton, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
51.3 mi
83 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Racine, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Merton, WI
Stefan Coders
Trip Overview
Racine, WI to Merton, WI is 51.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via East-West Freeway and WI 16, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest and Wisconsin, offering a straightforward drive. Given its relatively short distance and duration, it's a convenient option for a day trip or a quick commute. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making it a predictable and efficient route.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East-West Freeway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| Douglas Avenue | 8.3 mi | 13m |
| WI 16 | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| I 41 | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| Airport Freeway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| North-South Freeway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| West Ryan Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| South Chicago Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
East-West Freeway
— 10.2 mi, about 11m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 100 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,530 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~275 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 102 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 Merton, 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
4.2 mi
·
5 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
·
16 sec
Exit 1B-A
Toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 1B
Toward I 94 West: Madison
Use the slight left lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Toward I 94 West: Madison
17
Merge onto I 94
10 mi
·
11 min
·
East-West Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto WI 16
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
WI 16
Exit 293C
Toward WIS 16 West: Pewaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 184
Toward CTH JK, CTH KE: Jungbluth Road, North Shore Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Turn right onto CTH KE; CTH JK
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Jungbluth Road
21
At end of road, turn right onto CTH K; CTH KE
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
County Highway K
22
Turn left onto CTH KE
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Winkleman Road
23
Continue on CTH VV
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
24
Arrive at destination
CTH VV
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 20 and 41.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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...
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...
8
30.5 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B-A
Toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Madison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 1B
Toward I 94 West: Madison
8
41.6 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
WI 16
Keep slight right at fork onto WI 16 toward WIS 16 West: Pewaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 293C
Toward WIS 16 West: Pewaukee
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.95 one way
$15.91 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $8.72 | $17.44 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.95 | $19.91 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $11.31 | $22.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.18 | $3.28 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Merton, WI
Morning in Merton on Saturday
Local time
7:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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
1h 14m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
With 61% of this drive on highways, you'll experience a good amount of freeway cruising. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 10.2 miles on East-West Freeway. Expect to transition from highway speeds to surface roads as you approach your destination. The profile is mostly highway, suggesting fewer complex intersections or significant slowdowns until the final leg.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.2 mi on East-West Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East-West Freeway and Douglas Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20 miles in near I 41; I 94; US 41.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 20 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.3 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
866 ft
692 ft
Total Climb
174 ft
Total Descent
17 ft
Highest Point
866 ft
~47.7 mi in
Elevation Range
174 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Merton, WI, road signs point toward Fond Du Lac, Milwaukee, Wis 16 West: Pewaukee and Cth.
Fond Du Lac
20 mi in
|
~32m
|
via I 41; I 94; US 41
Milwaukee
30.5 mi in
|
~46m
Wis 16 West: Pewaukee
41.6 mi in
|
~59m
|
via WI 16
Cth
47.8 mi in
|
~1h 7m
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 Merton, WI
Full guide →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 1h 14m. Total distance: 51.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.2 miles on East-West Freeway. 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 Merton, 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 20 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.3 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Merton, 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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