Origin
Waukesha, WI
Morning in Waukesha on Sunday
Local time
9:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukesha, WI to Kenosha, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
52.3 mi
84 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waukesha, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Kenosha, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick trip from Waukesha to Kenosha, you can expect a straightforward journey covering 52.6 miles. This route typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes to complete, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will navigate using a combination of Les Paul Parkway, East Moreland Boulevard, and I-94 East to reach your destination. With a modest estimated fuel cost of just $7, it is an affordable way to travel across the Midwest. Since the entire drive stays within Wisconsin, you will not have to worry about changing time zones or crossing state lines. It is an ideal trip for those who prefer a short, efficient commute over a multi-day road adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North-South Freeway | 23.3 mi | 25m |
| East-West Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Airport Freeway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Zoo Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| Burlington Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Washington Road | 3.3 mi | 7m |
| West Main Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| East Moreland Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
North-South Freeway
— 23.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukesha, WI and Kenosha, WI.
1
Start on West Main Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn slight left
406 ft
·
17 sec
3
Turn left onto US 18; WI 164
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Les Paul Parkway
4
Turn right onto US 18; WI 164
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Moreland Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 94 East
6
Merge onto I 94
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
9
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
this road
Exit 305A
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago
11
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Zoo Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 41; US 41
Exit 10B
Toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
23 mi
·
25 min
·
North-South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 340
Toward WI 142, CTH S: Kenosha, Burlington
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
199 ft
·
6 sec
Toward CTH S East: Gateway Technical College, Kenosha
17
Turn left onto WI 142
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Burlington Road
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on CTH S
3.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Washington Road
19
Turn right onto WI 32
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Sheridan Road
20
Turn left onto 54th Street
305 ft
·
14 sec
·
54th Street
21
Turn right onto 8th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
8th Avenue
22
Turn right onto 56th Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
56th Street
23
Arrive at destination
56th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Waukesha, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 9.8 and 44.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
9.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
8
10.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US...
7
11 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago
9
19.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 41; US 41
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
8
44.1 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward WI 142, CTH S: Kenosha, Burlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 340
Toward WI 142, CTH S: Kenosha, Burlington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.18 one way
$16.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.98 | $17.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.06 | $20.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.55 | $23.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.32 | $3.35 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Kenosha, WI
Morning in Kenosha on Sunday
Local time
9:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°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
11 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 13m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind for this 52.6-mile trek. You will spend your time navigating local roads as you transition through the initial segments of the journey, as the highway share for this specific route is 0%. Because the longest stretch on Les Paul Parkway is effectively zero miles, you should be prepared for frequent turns and constant engagement with the road. The experience is best described as a practical, short-distance transit that requires your full attention. It is a functional drive that prioritizes reaching your destination efficiently rather than providing long, uninterrupted highway stretches.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on North-South Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North-South Freeway and East-West Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.8 miles in.
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 52.3 miles you will encounter 18 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 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Waukesha, WI and Kenosha, WI, road signs point toward Fond Du Lac, Cth S: Kenosha, Burlington and Cth S East: Gateway Technical College.
Fond Du Lac
9.8 mi in
|
~15m
Cth S: Kenosha
44.1 mi in
|
~57m
Burlington
44.1 mi in
|
~57m
Cth S East: Gateway Technical College
44.3 mi in
|
~57m
About the Cities
Arriving in Kenosha, WI
Full guide →Kenosha is Wisconsin's fourth largest city. It is in the state's southeast region. Many of its residents commute to jobs elsewhere, leading to its appellation as "Chicago's northernmost suburb."
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 13m. Total distance: 52.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on North-South Freeway. 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 Kenosha, WI 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 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kenosha, 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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