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Trip from South Milwaukee, WI to Racine, WI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

26m

Distance

14.3 mi

23 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 25m ★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 26m

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

city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States

South Milwaukee, WI

Wikimedia Commons

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

Racine, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick, straightforward trip through the Midwest, the 14.3-mile journey from South Milwaukee to Racine is an ideal choice. You can expect to reach your destination in about 26 minutes, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Because the route is entirely local, you won't need to worry about high-speed highway traffic or complex navigation. With a fuel cost of just $2, it is an incredibly budget-friendly way to travel between these two Wisconsin cities. Since this is a short, direct drive, you do not need to plan for any overnight stops or complicated rest breaks. It is a practical, no-frills route that gets you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Douglas Avenue 8.3 mi 13m
South Chicago Road 4.6 mi 9m
North Main Street 0.6 mi 1m
Marquette Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Hamilton Street 0.2 mi <1m
10th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
6th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Wisconsin Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Douglas Avenue — 8.3 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on WI 32

0.2 mi · 37 sec · 10th Avenue
2

Turn right onto WI 32

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Marquette Avenue
3

Turn left onto WI 32

4.6 mi · 9 min · South Chicago Road
Use the straight lane.
4

Continue on WI 32

8.3 mi · 13 min · Douglas Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Turn left onto WI 32

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Hamilton Street
6

Turn right onto WI 32

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
7

Turn right onto WI 20; WI 32

309 ft · 17 sec · 6th Street
8

Turn left onto Wisconsin Avenue

284 ft · 14 sec · Wisconsin Avenue
9

Turn left onto WI 20; WI 32

245 ft · 8 sec · 7th Street
10

Arrive at destination

WI 20; WI 32

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 14.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | WI 32 / Marquette Avenue

Turn right onto WI 32 / Marquette Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | WI 32 / South Chicago Road

Turn left onto WI 32 / South Chicago Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
4
14.1 mi into trip | ~26m in | WI 20; WI 32 / 6th Street

Turn right onto WI 20; WI 32 / 6th Street

Navigation decision point

4
14.2 mi into trip | ~26m in | Wisconsin Avenue

Turn left onto Wisconsin Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
14.2 mi into trip | ~26m in | WI 20; WI 32 / 7th Street

Turn left onto WI 20; WI 32 / 7th Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.24 one way

$4.47 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.45 $4.91
premium $4.89 $2.75 $5.50
diesel $5.61 $3.16 $6.31

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.3 0 $1.50 $0.69
Efficient EV 3.6 0 $1.25 $0.57
EV Truck/SUV 5.7 0 $2.00 $0.92

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 16, 2026

Origin

South Milwaukee, WI

Morning in South Milwaukee on Sunday

Local time

9:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Racine, WI

Morning in Racine on Sunday

Local time

9:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°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

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

26m 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features zero percent highway travel. Your journey relies on a series of local roads, primarily Douglas Avenue, South Chicago Road, and North Main Street. You will spend the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip—8.3 miles—navigating along Douglas Avenue. Because the route is entirely local, you should prepare for frequent turns and a slower, more deliberate pace compared to an interstate commute. This setup allows you to stay engaged with the road as you transition through the Wisconsin landscape.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on Douglas Avenue.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near WI 32 / Marquette Avenue.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (WI 32 / Marquette Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (WI 32 / South Chicago Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (WI 20; WI 32 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 14.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.3 miles on Douglas Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 0.2 miles (WI 32 / Marquette Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (WI 32 / South Chicago Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (WI 20; WI 32 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Racine, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Racine, WI to South Milwaukee, WI

Plan the drive back the other way.

14.2 mi 26m

Explore more options from South Milwaukee, WI or browse trips ending in Racine, WI.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WI road trips.