West Englewood to Waukegan is 47.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via Edens Expressway and South Skokie Highway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving north through the Midwest region. The profile is mixed highway and surface roads, so expect a blend of faster driving and more local street navigation. With only one recommended day, this is a straightforward trip suitable for a single outing.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Edens Expressway
13.5 mi
17m
South Skokie Highway
8.2 mi
10m
South Ashland Avenue
7.1 mi
14m
Kennedy Expressway
6.5 mi
8m
Skokie Highway
3.8 mi
4m
Skokie Valley Road
3.4 mi
3m
Belvidere Street
1.6 mi
3m
West Ogden Avenue
1.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Englewood, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on South Paulina Street
169 ft·12 sec·South Paulina Street
2
Turn left onto West 64th Street
0.1 mi·29 sec·West 64th Street
3
Turn left onto South Ashland Avenue
7.1 mi·14 min·South Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Turn right onto West Ogden Avenue
1.1 mi·2 min·West Ogden Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 WestUse the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 90; I 94
6.5 mi·8 min·Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 94
14 mi·17 min·Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: MilwaukeeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi·4 min·Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi·3 min·Skokie Valley Road
10
Continue on US 41
8.2 mi·10 min·South Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward IL 120 EastUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto IL 120
0.3 mi·33 sec·Belvidere Road
13
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi·3 min·Belvidere Street
14
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Jackson Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from West Englewood, 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West 64th Street
Turn left onto West 64th Street
Navigation decision point
7
8.4 mi into trip|~17m in
Turn left toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
5
8.6 mi into trip|~18m in|I 90; I 94 / Kennedy Expressway
Merge onto I 90; I 94 / Kennedy Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.6 mi into trip|~44m in|US 41 / Skokie Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41 / Skokie Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
44 mi into trip|~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward IL 120 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.20 one way
$14.40 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg17 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$7.93
$15.86
premium
$4.81
$8.93
$17.86
diesel
$5.40
$10.04
$20.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.2
0
$4.96
$2.27
Efficient EV
11.8
0
$4.13
$1.89
EV Truck/SUV
18.9
0
$6.61
$3.02
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 25, 2026
Origin
West Englewood, IL
Morning
in West Englewood on Sunday
Local time
8:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:06PM CDT until May 1 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:06PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Waukegan, IL
Morning
in Waukegan on Sunday
Local time
8:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:06PM CDT until May 1 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:06PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
1 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 10m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 42% of this 47.2-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 13.5 miles on the Edens Expressway. After the highway portions, you'll transition to surface roads like South Skokie Highway and South Ashland Avenue, which typically have more intersections and local traffic.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.5 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 early in the drive near West 64th Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.2 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: near the start (West 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (I 90; I 94 / Kennedy Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Top landmarks
•Waukegan Public Library — library
•Waukegan Building — office building in Waukegan, Illinois, United States
•Hotel Waukegan — historic hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 47.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). 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 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Waukegan, 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: near the start (West 64th Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (I 90; I 94 / Kennedy Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Waukegan, IL before heading back.
