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Trip from Waukegan, IL to Woodlawn, 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 7m

Distance

48.6 mi

78 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Woodlawn, IL, IL

Woodlawn, IL

Stéphane Tendon

Trip Overview

This 48.6-mile drive from Waukegan, IL to Woodlawn, IL is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 7 minutes. The route predominantly utilizes major expressways, including the Edens Expressway and Kennedy Expressway, with a portion on North Skokie Highway. With a fuel cost estimated at $8, this is an economical journey within the Midwest region. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of urban and potentially suburban travel, so plan for it to feel like a practical, efficient transit rather than a leisurely scenic tour. Given its short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Edens Expressway 13.7 mi 17m
Kennedy Expressway 8.1 mi 11m
North Skokie Highway 5.6 mi 6m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 3.8 mi 5m
Skokie Highway 3.8 mi 4m
Skokie Valley Road 3.4 mi 3m
South Lewis Avenue 2.9 mi 5m
Dan Ryan Expressway 2.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Edens Expressway — 13.7 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Woodlawn, 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

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Belvidere Street
4

Turn left onto South Lewis Avenue

2.9 mi · 5 min · South Lewis Avenue
5

Turn right onto IL 137

1.1 mi · 1 min · Buckley Road
Use the right lane.
6

Turn left onto US 41

5.6 mi · 6 min · North Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on US 41

3.4 mi · 3 min · Skokie Valley Road
8

Continue on US 41

3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 94; US 41

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11

Continue on I 90; I 94

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94

3.8 mi · 5 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 59A Toward I 90 East Use the right lane.
14

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 58B Toward 63rd Street Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn straight onto South Yale Avenue

138 ft · 5 sec · South Yale Avenue
17

Turn left onto West 63rd Street

1.7 mi · 3 min · West 63rd Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18

Turn right onto South Greenwood Avenue

365 ft · 15 sec · South Greenwood Avenue
19

Arrive at destination

South Greenwood Avenue

Where to Stop

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

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Glenview, 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

Northbrook, IL

Fuel and coffee

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

Glenview, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.3 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.1 and 46.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
4.1 mi into trip | ~8m in | IL 137 / Buckley Road

Turn right onto IL 137 / Buckley Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
4
5.2 mi into trip | ~10m in | US 41 / North Skokie Highway

Turn left onto US 41 / North Skokie Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
42.2 mi into trip | ~56m in | I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
7
46 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward I 90 East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 59A Toward I 90 East
8
46.6 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Take the exit toward 63rd Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 58B Toward 63rd Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.60 one way

$15.20 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.34 $16.68
premium $4.89 $9.35 $18.71
diesel $5.61 $10.73 $21.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17 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 14.6 0 $5.10 $2.33
Efficient EV 12.2 0 $4.25 $1.94
EV Truck/SUV 19.4 0 $6.80 $3.11

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 Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Morning in Waukegan on Sunday

Local time

9:52 AM

CDT

Current temp

42°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

SSW 15 to 20 mph 96% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 6:23PM CDT until April 17 at 6:45PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Tornado Warning

Tornado Warning issued April 17 at 6:23PM CDT until April 17 at 7:15PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Woodlawn, IL

Morning in Woodlawn on Sunday

Local time

9:52 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°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

35 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 7m 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 drive that's 58% highway, characterized by the efficiency of major expressways like the Edens and Kennedy. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.7 miles on the Edens Expressway, offering a consistent pace. This mixed drive profile indicates that while you'll experience substantial highway time, there will be transitions to other road types, likely North Skokie Highway, as you approach your destination. It's a route designed for getting from point A to point B effectively, rather than for winding country roads.

58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on Edens Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in near IL 137 / Buckley Road.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 4.1 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (US 41 / North Skokie Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 7m. Total distance: 48.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Woodlawn, 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 4.1 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (US 41 / North Skokie Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Woodlawn, 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.

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