Origin
Willowbrook, IL
Evening in Willowbrook on Sunday
Local time
5:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Willowbrook, IL to Waukegan, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
49.1 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Willowbrook, IL
Pho Tomass
Trip Overview
This 49.1-mile drive from Willowbrook, IL, to Waukegan, IL, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 6 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, so you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $8, making it an economical option. You'll primarily navigate using the Tri-State Tollway, Kingery Highway, and Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, which provide a direct path through the Midwest region. This route offers a practical way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 35.2 mi | 43m |
| Kingery Highway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| 63rd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 35.2 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Willowbrook, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on Ridgemoor Drive
91 ft
·
6 sec
·
Ridgemoor Drive
2
Turn left onto South Madison Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Madison Street
3
Turn left onto 63rd Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
63rd Street
4
Turn right onto IL 83
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Kingery Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
9
Merge onto I 294
35 mi
·
43 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
12
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
13
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
15
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Willowbrook, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 5.6 and 44.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 139
Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rock...
6
8.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International A...
7
44.2 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.68 one way
$15.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.43 | $16.86 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.45 | $18.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.84 | $21.68 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.23
Tri-state Tollway
(35.2 mi)
$2.11
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(2 mi)
$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
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.
Destination
Waukegan, IL
Evening in Waukegan on Sunday
Local time
5:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
10 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 6m 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 for this 49.1-mile journey, with a 0% highway share. While you'll encounter some longer stretches, like a 35.2-mile segment on the Tri-State Tollway, the overall character is one of frequent transitions. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it feels more like navigating through a series of connected communities. The road personality shifts as you move, offering a dynamic driving experience that keeps you engaged without being overly complex.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.2 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Willowbrook, IL and Waukegan, IL, road signs point toward Rockford and Milwaukee.
Rockford
8.2 mi in
|
~12m
Milwaukee
8.8 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Arriving in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →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.
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 6m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.2 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.23 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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: at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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