Origin
Wauwatosa, WI
Morning in Wauwatosa on Tuesday
Local time
9:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wauwatosa, WI to Madison, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 33m
Distance
74.6 mi
120 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 26m
★
6 AM
1h 33m
8 AM
1h 48m
10 AM
1h 38m
12 PM
1h 37m
3 PM
1h 39m
5 PM
1h 47m
8 PM
1h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wauwatosa, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Madison, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Wauwatosa to Madison is 74.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 33 minutes via East-West Freeway, WI 30, and East Washington Avenue, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, traversing the Midwest region. Given its relatively short length and predominantly highway profile, it's a straightforward drive, perfect for a quick hop between these two cities. You'll spend most of your time on the freeway, making for an efficient commute. Plan for this to be a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.3 miles from Wauwatosa, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East-West Freeway | 64.3 mi | 1h 10m |
| WI 30 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| East Washington Avenue | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| East Gorham Street | 1.7 mi | 5m |
| North Glenview Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| University Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South 84th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Baldwin Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East-West Freeway
— 64.3 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wauwatosa, WI and Madison, WI.
1
Start on West State Street
137 ft
·
6 sec
·
West State Street
2
Continue on West Menomonee River Parkway
360 ft
·
22 sec
·
West Menomonee River Parkway
3
Turn left onto WI 181
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Harmonee Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn slight right onto WI 181
520 ft
·
15 sec
·
Harwood Avenue
5
Turn left onto WI 181
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Glenview Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on WI 181
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South 84th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 94 West
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 94 West: Madison
9
Merge onto I 94
11 mi
·
12 min
·
East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
54 mi
·
57 min
·
East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 30
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
WI 30
Exit 240
Toward I 39 South, I 90 East, WI 30 West: Janesville, Madison
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 1A
Toward US 151: East Washington Avenue
13
Turn sharp right onto US 151
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
East Washington Avenue
14
Turn right onto North Baldwin Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
North Baldwin Street
15
Turn left onto East Gorham Street
1.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East Gorham Street
16
Continue on CTH MS
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
University Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
CTH MS
Trip Plan
For this 74.6-mile drive, leaving Wauwatosa anytime in the morning should allow you to reach Madison with plenty of daylight. Since the total drive time is just under 1.5 hours, you likely won't need extensive stops for rest. However, if you prefer to break it up, consider a brief stop around the halfway point. The fuel cost is estimated at $12, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before you depart. A practical tip for this route is to be aware of the transition from the East-West Freeway to WI 30 and then East Washington Avenue, as this marks the shift from highway cruising to city driving.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37.3 miles from Wauwatosa, WI, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 16 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.3 miles or 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Madison, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wauwatosa, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Wauwatosa, WI
This is one driving day of about 74.6 miles and 1h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Wauwatosa, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on East-West Freeway for about 64.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.3 miles from Wauwatosa, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before East-West Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.3 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 67 — 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
|
WI 181 / Harmonee Avenue
Turn left onto WI 181 / Harmonee Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
WI 181 / North Glenview Avenue
Turn left onto WI 181 / North Glenview Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West: Madison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 94 West: Madison
6
13.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 94 / East-West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / East-West Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
67 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
WI 30
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 30 toward I 39 South, I 90 East, WI 30 West: Janesville, Madison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 240
Toward I 39 South, I 90 East, WI 30 West: Janes...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.66 one way
$23.33 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.81 | $25.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.36 | $28.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.47 | $32.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.83 | $3.58 |
| Efficient EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.53 | $2.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.8 | 0 | $10.44 | $4.77 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Madison, WI
Morning in Madison on Tuesday
Local time
9:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
43°F
Milford, WI
37 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 33m 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 90% highway, so expect a lot of freeway driving. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 64.3 miles on the East-West Freeway. After this significant highway portion, you'll transition to surface roads as you approach Madison, specifically along East Washington Avenue. The frequent exits on the freeway indicate a well-traveled corridor.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.3 mi on East-West Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East-West Freeway and WI 30. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near WI 181 / Harmonee Avenue.
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 74.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.1 miles (WI 181 / Harmonee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (WI 181 / North Glenview Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in Wauwatosa, WI
Full guide →Wauwatosa is in Southeast Wisconsin.
Arriving in Madison, WI
Full guide →Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. As the anchor of the Greater Madison Area, it is home to the University of Wisconsin — Madison, one of the premier universities in the United States. It is a vibrant city known for its natural beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and academic excellence. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for its diverse and delicious food options.
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 33m. Total distance: 74.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.3 miles on East-West 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 Madison, 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 0.1 miles (WI 181 / Harmonee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (WI 181 / North Glenview Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Madison, 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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