Origin
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
6:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Addison, IL
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
56m
Distance
42.4 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 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.
Addison, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waukegan, IL to Addison, IL is 42.4 miles and takes about 56m via Tri-State Tollway and US 20, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest's extensive road network. It's a straightforward drive that's ideal for a quick hop between destinations without requiring an overnight stay. You'll primarily navigate surface roads for a good portion of the trip, so plan for moderate speeds and potential local traffic. Consider this a practical route for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 33.2 mi | 40m |
| US 20 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Belvidere Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| I 290 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Addison Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 33.2 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Addison, IL.
1
Start on North Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Jackson Street
2
Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
3
Turn right onto Belvidere Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
4
Continue on IL 120
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
6
Merge onto I 94
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
19 mi
·
24 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 33
Toward I 290 West: Rockford, Elmhurst
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 290
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 290
10
Take the exit onto US 20
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 20
Exit 12
Toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, York Road
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 20
Toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto North Addison Road
78 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Addison Road
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
North Addison Road
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 Waukegan, IL, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 18.9 and 42.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
8
38.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward I 290 West: Rockford, Elmhurst
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 33
Toward I 290 West: Rockford, Elmhurst
8
39.5 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 20
Take the exit onto US 20 toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, York Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 12
Toward US 20 West, IL 64 West: Lake Street, Yor...
7
39.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
US 20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20 toward US 20 West: Lake Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 20 West: Lake Street
6
42.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
North Addison Road
Turn left onto North Addison Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.63 one way
$13.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.28 | $14.56 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.16 | $16.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.36 | $18.72 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.99
Tri-state Tollway
(33.2 mi)
$1.99
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
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 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $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
Addison, IL
Morning in Addison on Tuesday
Local time
6:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
6 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
56m 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?
This route is mostly surface roads, with only about 9% on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 33.2 miles on the Tri-State Tollway before transitioning to surface streets. Expect frequent intersections and local traffic as you move away from the tollway. The drive will feel like a typical suburban commute for much of its length.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.2 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.9 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
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 42.4 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 18.9 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.5 miles (US 20): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
731 ft
637 ft
Total Climb
173 ft
Total Descent
136 ft
Highest Point
731 ft
~3 mi in
Elevation Range
95 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 Waukegan, IL and Addison, IL, road signs point toward O'hare and Elmhurst.
O'hare
18.9 mi in
|
~25m
|
via I 294
Elmhurst
38.2 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Starting in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →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.
Arriving in Addison, IL
Full guide →Founded 1839
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: 42.4 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.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.2 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.99 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Addison, IL 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 18.9 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.5 miles (US 20): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Addison, IL 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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