Origin
Waukegan, IL
Late night in Waukegan on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Brookfield, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
47.2 mi
76 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
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brookfield, IL
Quang Vuong
Trip Overview
Waukegan to Brookfield is 47.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. You'll largely be on surface roads for this trip, making it a straightforward connection between two points. It's a short enough drive that you can easily fit it into a single day without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 37.1 mi | 45m |
| Belvidere Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| West Cermak Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North La Grange Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 31st Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 37.1 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Brookfield, 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
23 mi
·
28 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
0.5 mi
·
29 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
9
Take the exit
468 ft
·
11 sec
10
Merge onto I 294
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 29
Toward Cermak Road
12
Keep slight right at fork
437 ft
·
10 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on West Cermak Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Cermak Road
14
Turn right onto US 12; US 20; US 45
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North La Grange Road
15
Turn left onto East 31st Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 31st Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn slight right onto Grand Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Boulevard
17
Enter roundabout onto Maple Avenue
146 ft
·
5 sec
·
Maple Avenue
18
Continue on Maple Avenue
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Maple Avenue
19
Turn right onto Grant Avenue
101 ft
·
4 sec
·
Grant Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Grant Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 45.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 94 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 94 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
6
42.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward Cermak Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 29
Toward Cermak Road
7
42.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
45.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
East 31st Street
Turn left onto East 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.38 one way
$14.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.08 | $18.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.42 | $20.84 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.23
Tri-state Tollway
(37.1 mi)
$2.23
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
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Brookfield, IL
Late night in Brookfield on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
10 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 5m 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 the Tri-State Tollway accounting for a significant portion of the travel at 37.1 miles. After the tollway, you'll transition to surface streets like Belvidere Road and West Cermak Road. Expect a steady pace with numerous intersections as you navigate the local road network.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.1 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 5.1 miles in near I 94 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 5.1 miles (I 94 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; 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 42.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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.
On the drive from Waukegan, IL to Brookfield, IL, road signs begin pointing toward O'hare along the way.
O'hare
18.9 mi in
|
~25m
|
via I 294
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.
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 5m. Total distance: 47.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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 37.1 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.23 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.
Yes — we found about 3 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 Brookfield, 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 5.1 miles (I 94 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; 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 42.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 Brookfield, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Brookfield, IL
More trips to Brookfield, IL
Explore more options from Waukegan, IL or browse trips ending in Brookfield, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.