Origin
Wauwatosa, WI
Late night in Wauwatosa on Sunday
Local time
5:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wauwatosa, WI to South Milwaukee, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
16.4 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wauwatosa, WI
Wikimedia Commons
South Milwaukee, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Wauwatosa to South Milwaukee is a quick 16.4-mile journey that typically takes about 24 minutes to complete. Because this trip is so brief, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will navigate primarily via North Alois Street, WI 175 South, and I-94 East to bridge these two Midwest locations. With an estimated fuel cost of just $2, this is an incredibly economical commute. Whether you are heading out for business or visiting friends, the ease of this route makes it a straightforward transition between these Wisconsin municipalities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John R. Plewa Memorial Lake Parkway | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| East-West Freeway | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Lake Freeway | 2 mi | 3m |
| West State Street | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| South Pennsylvania Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Chicago Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| East College Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| WI 175 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John R. Plewa Memorial Lake Parkway
— 4.3 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wauwatosa, WI and South Milwaukee, WI.
1
Start on West State Street
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
West State Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto North Alois Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Alois Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward WI 175 South
4
Merge onto WI 175
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
WI 175
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 38A
Toward I 94 East: Downtown
6
Merge onto I 94
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 794
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
East-West Freeway
Exit 310C
Toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 794
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Freeway
Toward Lakefront
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Continue on I 794
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
John R. Plewa Memorial Lake Parkway
10
Continue on WI 794
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Pennsylvania Avenue
11
Turn left onto CTH ZZ
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East College Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto WI 32
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Chicago Avenue
13
Continue on WI 32
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
10th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
WI 32
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 5.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West State Street
Depart onto West State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
North Alois Street
Turn left onto North Alois Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 94 East: Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 38A
Toward I 94 East: Downtown
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 94 / East-West Freeway
Merge onto I 94 / East-West Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
5.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 794 / East-West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 794 / East-West Freeway toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 310C
Toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.56 one way
$5.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.82 | $5.63 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.16 | $6.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.62 | $7.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 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 | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.30 | $1.05 |
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
South Milwaukee, WI
Late night in South Milwaukee on Sunday
Local time
5:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
12 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
30m 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 that demands your full attention rather than a mindless highway cruise. With a 0% highway share, you won't find yourself settling into a long, monotonous interstate stretch. The longest continuous segment is 0 miles on North Alois Street, meaning you will encounter frequent turns and navigation adjustments throughout the duration of the trip. The road’s personality is defined by its urban, stop-and-go nature, requiring you to stay alert at intersections. It is a technical drive that keeps you engaged with the local road network from start to finish.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.3 mi on John R. Plewa Memorial Lake Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John R. Plewa Memorial Lake Parkway and East-West Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West State Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 16.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (North Alois Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 Wauwatosa, WI and South Milwaukee, WI, road signs point toward Port Of Milwaukee and Lakefront.
Port Of Milwaukee
5.1 mi in
|
~10m
|
via I 794
Lakefront
6.2 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 794
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 16.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.3 miles on John R. Plewa Memorial Lake Parkway. 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 South Milwaukee, 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: near the start (West State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (North Alois Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Milwaukee, 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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