Main Line Station Rest Area - Northbound
0 mi from route
Trip from Teutopolis, IL to Waukegan, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 56m
Distance
252.5 mi
406 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 43m
★
6 AM
4h 56m
8 AM
5h 23m
10 AM
5h 6m
12 PM
5h 3m
3 PM
5h 7m
5 PM
5h 22m
8 PM
4h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Teutopolis, IL
Claudia Solano
Waukegan, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Teutopolis to Waukegan is 252.5 miles and takes about 4h 56m via I 57 and Edens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region of Teutopolis north towards the Chicago metropolitan area. With 91% of the route on highways, expect a fairly direct and efficient trip. This is a solid option for a single-day drive, especially if you're looking to cover ground without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
126.2 miles from Teutopolis, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 23m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 196 mi | 3h 35m |
| Edens Expressway | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| South Skokie Highway | 8.2 mi | 10m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 196 mi, about 3h 35m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~816 veh/hr typical · worst 1,091
Quietest
2 AM
~105 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 51 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 Teutopolis, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on North Garrett Street
464 ft
·
25 sec
·
North Garrett Street
2
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Walnut Street
3
Turn right onto North Green Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Green Street
4
Continue on North Green Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
North Green Street
5
Continue on 1710th Street
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
1710th Street
6
Continue on East 1600th Avenue
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East 1600th Avenue
7
Continue on Althoff Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Althoff Avenue
8
Continue on Althoff Drive
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Althoff Drive
9
Turn right onto Technology Drive
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Technology Drive
10
Turn right onto US 45
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
North 3rd Street
11
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I-57 North, I-70 East: Champaign, Terre Haute
12
Merge onto I 57; I 70
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 57; I 70
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
195 mi
·
3 hr 34 min
·
I 57
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 94
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
20
Continue on US 41
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward IL 120 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Turn straight onto IL 120
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Belvidere Road
23
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
24
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
25
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
26
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour 56-minute estimated drive time, departing Teutopolis in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Waukegan with plenty of daylight. The 252.5-mile trip is easily manageable in one day, so you have flexibility with your stop schedule. Plan for one stop to stretch your legs, perhaps around the halfway point or where I 57 continues north. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially since the longest stretch on I 57 is 196 miles before you'll likely see many service areas. The final stretch into Waukegan will likely involve more local traffic, so adjust your speed accordingly.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 126.2 miles from Teutopolis, IL, or about 2h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 196 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 56 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 126.2 miles or 2h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Teutopolis, IL 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 Teutopolis, IL
This is one driving day of about 252.5 miles and 4h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Teutopolis, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 196 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
126 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 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 126.2 miles from Teutopolis, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 196 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Illini Prairie Rest Area - Northbound
0 mi from route
Main Line Station Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Illini Prairie Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Prairie View Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Prairie View Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Green Creek Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Green Creek Rest Area - Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Peotone Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.6 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.7 mi from route
Service Plaza
1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
1.7 mi from route
TA
1.7 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.9 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2 mi from route
Lake Forest Oasis
2.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
2.2 mi from route
Truckomat Truck Wash - Effingham
2.4 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 249.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Walnut Street
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
7
5.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 57
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
8
204.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 50m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
6
233.8 mi into trip
|
~4h 30m in
|
US 41 / Skokie Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41 / Skokie Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
249.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 49m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward IL 120 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.12 one way
$84.24 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
88 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $45.78 | $91.56 |
| premium | $5.26 | $52.28 | $104.56 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $61.43 | $122.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75.8 | 0 | $26.51 | $12.12 |
| Efficient EV | 63.1 | 0 | $22.09 | $10.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 101 | 1 | $35.35 | $16.16 |
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Teutopolis, IL
Morning in Teutopolis on Monday
Local time
7:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
SSE 2 to 7 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Monday
Local time
7:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Sunny
SSW 15 mph
0% chance
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
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
4h 56m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
near mile 200.3
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 91% of the 252.5-mile route utilizing major roads like I 57 and the Edens Expressway. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 196 miles, primarily on I 57. Expect the transition to surface roads to occur closer to your destination, around mile 230. The latter part of the drive will involve navigating more exits and potentially denser traffic as you approach the Waukegan area.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 196 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Edens Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Walnut Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 252.5 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 0.1 miles (East Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 204.2 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
767 ft
601 ft
Total Climb
353 ft
Total Descent
306 ft
Highest Point
767 ft
~108.2 mi in
Elevation Range
165 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Teutopolis, IL
Full guide →Founded 1839
Arriving in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →Founded 1859
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.
Top landmarks
- • Waukegan Public Library — library in Waukegan, Illinois, United States
- • Waukegan Building — office building in Waukegan, Illinois, United States
- • Hotel Waukegan — historic hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, USA
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 4h 56m. Total distance: 252.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 196 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 32 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Waukegan, IL 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 32 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 204.2 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Waukegan, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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