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Trip from Waukegan, IL to Downers Grove, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 5m

Distance

48.3 mi

78 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
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 3m

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

Best Time
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Downtown Waukegan, IL, IL

Waukegan, IL

Wikimedia Commons

village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Downers Grove, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Waukegan, IL to Downers Grove, IL is 48.3 miles and takes about 1h 5m via Tri-State Tollway and Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, 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. It's a fairly straightforward drive that's easy to manage, making it a practical option for a quick transfer or a day trip. Plan for minimal stops, as the duration is quite short.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 35.5 mi 44m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 5.2 mi 6m
Belvidere Road 2.2 mi 3m
Belvidere Street 1.6 mi 3m
Highland Avenue 1.3 mi 2m
Main Street 0.5 mi 1m
North Jackson Street 0.5 mi 1m
Glen Rock Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 35.5 mi, about 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Downers Grove, 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

20 mi · 25 min · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare Use the slight right lane.
8

Take the exit onto I 294

1.0 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight right lane.
10

Continue on I 294

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 49 sec
Exit 31A Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

0.8 mi · 59 sec · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

4.4 mi · 5 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road) Use the slight right lane.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Exit 134 Toward Highland Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Turn left onto Highland Avenue

1.3 mi · 2 min · Highland Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
16

Continue on Main Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
17

Arrive at destination

Main Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Des Plaines, IL

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

Zion, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Des Plaines, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.2 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 18.9 and 41.8 — 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
7
39 mi into trip | ~50m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
40 mi into trip | ~52m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
40.6 mi into trip | ~54m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 31A Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
8
41.8 mi into trip | ~55m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.49 one way

$14.98 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $8.21 $16.42
premium $4.93 $9.37 $18.74
diesel $5.60 $10.65 $21.29

Estimated Tolls: $2.44

Tri-state Tollway (35.5 mi) $2.13
Reagan Memorial Tollway (5.2 mi) $0.31

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: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.07 $2.32
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.23 $1.93
EV Truck/SUV 19.3 0 $6.76 $3.09

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.

Forecast as of Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Night in Waukegan on Monday

Local time

10:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

90°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 5 to 10 mph 20% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:06AM CDT until September 3 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:06AM CDT until September 3 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Downers Grove, IL

Night in Downers Grove on Monday

Local time

10:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

93°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 5 to 10 mph 20% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:06AM CDT until September 3 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:06AM CDT until September 3 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

3 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

1h 5m 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?

This drive is mostly on surface roads, with a highway share of 0%. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Tri-State Tollway, covering a longest stretch of 35.5 miles. Expect to transition from tollway cruising to navigating surface streets as you approach your destination. The route features numerous exits and intersections typical of travel between suburban areas.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.5 mi on Tri-State Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 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 39 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

747 ft 631 ft

Total Climb

248 ft

Total Descent

155 ft

Highest Point

747 ft

~48.3 mi in

Elevation Range

116 ft

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 Downers Grove, IL, road signs point toward O'hare, Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).

O'hare

18.9 mi in | ~25m | via I 294

Indiana

39 mi in | ~50m | via I 294

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

41.8 mi in | ~55m | via I 88; IL 110

About the Cities

Starting 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
  • • Waukegan Building — office building in Waukegan, Illinois, United States
  • • Hotel Waukegan — historic hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, USA

Arriving in Downers Grove, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1832

Downers Grove is a village in Chicagoland. With a 2005 population of 49,000, Downers Grove has developed into a major Chicago suburb. It contains the headquarters of many major companies, including Sara Lee and Butterball, and has a bustling, trendy downtown.

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: 48.3 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 35.5 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.44 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 Downers Grove, 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 39 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Downers Grove, 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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