Origin
Watertown, WI
Late night in Watertown on Tuesday
Local time
4:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Watertown, WI to City of Janesville, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
42.3 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Watertown, WI
Tom Fisk
City of Janesville, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Watertown to Janesville, expect a straightforward 42.3-mile journey that typically takes about 59 minutes to complete. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is efficient enough to allow for plenty of time at your destination. You can anticipate a fuel budget of roughly $6, making this a very economical drive within the Midwest. Because the route is primarily highway-focused, you will spend the vast majority of your time cruising on main roads rather than navigating complex city streets. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection between these two Wisconsin cities that gets you where you need to go without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WI 26 | 34.8 mi | 45m |
| WI 26 Business | 4 mi | 5m |
| South Church Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| State Highway 26 Business | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Garfield Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Court Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Memorial Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
WI 26
— 34.8 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Watertown, WI and City of Janesville, WI.
1
Start on WI 19
116 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto WI 26 Business
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Church Street
3
Enter roundabout onto WI 26 Business
154 ft
·
3 sec
·
State Highway 26 Business
4
Continue on WI 26 Business
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
State Highway 26 Business
5
Enter roundabout onto WI 26 Business
143 ft
·
3 sec
·
State Highway 26 Business
6
Continue on WI 26 Business
403 ft
·
8 sec
·
State Highway 26 Business
7
Enter roundabout onto WI 26 Business
204 ft
·
4 sec
·
WI 26 Business
8
Continue on WI 26 Business
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
WI 26 Business
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on WI 26
35 mi
·
45 min
·
WI 26
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto East Memorial Drive
261 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Memorial Drive
11
Continue on North Garfield Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Garfield Avenue
12
Turn right onto East Court Street
467 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Court Street
13
Arrive at destination
East Court Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.2 miles from Watertown, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WI 26 Business / South Church Street
Turn right onto WI 26 Business / South Church Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business
Enter roundabout onto WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business
Enter roundabout onto WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WI 26 Business
Enter roundabout onto WI 26 Business
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
41.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
East Memorial Drive
Turn left onto East Memorial Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.61 one way
$13.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.26 | $14.52 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.14 | $16.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.34 | $18.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
City of Janesville, WI
Late night in City of Janesville on Tuesday
Local time
4:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
S 20 mph
89% chance
Live forecast
61°F
Jefferson, WI
21 mi in
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
37 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
59m 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?
Expect a consistent, highway-focused experience, with 93% of your travel time spent on major routes like WI 26. You will quickly settle into the drive, as the longest uninterrupted stretch spans 34.8 miles along WI 26, allowing for a steady pace behind the wheel. The transition from South Church Street onto the main highway sets a reliable rhythm for the duration of the trip. You won’t encounter the stop-and-go patterns of local traffic for long, as the road is designed for efficiency and steady movement. It is a predictable drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.8 mi on WI 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WI 26 and WI 26 Business. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WI 26 Business / South Church Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Watertown, WI to City of Janesville, WI is easy. At 59m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WI 26 Business / South Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 42.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.8 miles on WI 26. 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: near the start (WI 26 Business / South Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (WI 26 Business / State Highway 26 Business): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Janesville, 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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