Origin
Wauwatosa, WI
Morning in Wauwatosa on Sunday
Local time
9:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wauwatosa, WI to Cedarburg, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
18 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wauwatosa, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Cedarburg, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick escape within Wisconsin, the 18-mile journey from Wauwatosa to Cedarburg is an ideal candidate for a short day trip. Expect to spend about 37 minutes behind the wheel as you navigate north through the Midwest landscape. Since the trip is quite brief, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations or heavy travel planning. Budgeting roughly $3 for fuel makes this an incredibly affordable outing for a weekend or afternoon. Because you are traveling entirely within the state, the transition between these two communities feels seamless and straightforward.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North 76th Street | 8.7 mi | 18m |
| Wauwatosa Road | 4 mi | 7m |
| Cedarburg Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Washington Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Wauwatosa Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Highland Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West State Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North 76th Street
— 8.7 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wauwatosa, WI and Cedarburg, WI.
1
Start on West State Street
360 ft
·
23 sec
·
West State Street
2
Turn left onto North Wauwatosa Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Wauwatosa Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on WI 181
8.7 mi
·
18 min
·
North 76th Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on WI 181
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Wauwatosa Road
5
Turn right onto Highland Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Highland Road
6
Turn left onto Cedarburg Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Cedarburg Road
7
Continue on Washington Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Arrive at destination
Washington Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Wauwatosa Avenue
Turn left onto North Wauwatosa Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
14 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Highland Road
Turn right onto Highland Road
Navigation decision point
4
14.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Cedarburg Road
Turn left onto Cedarburg Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.81 one way
$5.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.46 | $6.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Cedarburg, WI
Morning in Cedarburg on Sunday
Local time
9:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
19 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
37m 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?
Forget the monotony of interstate travel, as this route consists entirely of local roads with zero highway driving. You will spend the majority of your time on North 76th Street, Wauwatosa Road, and Cedarburg Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 8.7-mile segment on North 76th Street, which sets the pace for the rest of the drive. Be prepared for a turn-heavy experience that requires your full attention compared to a simple highway cruise. The road’s personality is defined by these constant adjustments, keeping the drive engaging from start to finish.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on North 76th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Wauwatosa Avenue.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Wauwatosa, WI to Cedarburg, WI is easy. At 37m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Wauwatosa Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles (Highland Road): Navigation decision point; at 14.8 miles (Cedarburg Road): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 18 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on North 76th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (North Wauwatosa Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles (Highland Road): Navigation decision point; at 14.8 miles (Cedarburg Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cedarburg, 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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