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Trip from Coal City, IL to Waukegan, IL

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

1h 58m

Distance

92.6 mi

149 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 50m ★
6 AM
1h 59m
8 AM
2h 16m
10 AM
2h 5m
12 PM
2h 3m
3 PM
2h 6m
5 PM
2h 15m
8 PM
1h 54m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Coal City, IL, IL

Coal City, IL

Braeson Holland

Trip Overview

The drive from Coal City, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 92.6 miles and takes about 1h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, I 55, West Division Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41.8 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.48 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

46.3 miles from Coal City, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 92.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Coal City, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 92.6 miles and takes about 1h 58m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 41.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 around 3.2 miles in near I 55.

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 92.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 3.2 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
3.2 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 55

Merge onto I 55

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
44.1 mi into trip | ~54m in

Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 277A Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
5
45.6 mi into trip | ~57m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 294 North: Wisconsin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
6
50.8 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
87.8 mi into trip | ~1h 49m 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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 41.8 mi 50m
I 55 40.9 mi 48m
West Division Street 2 mi 3m
Belvidere Road 1.9 mi 2m
Belvidere Street 1.6 mi 3m
West Coal City Road 0.9 mi 1m
South Jackson Street 0.5 mi 1m
Glen Rock Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 41.8 mi, about 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Coal City, IL and Waukegan, IL.

1

Start on IL 113

2.0 mi · 3 min · West Division Street
2

Continue on IL 113

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Coal City Road
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 55 North: Joliet
4

Merge onto I 55

41 mi · 48 min · I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

1.6 mi · 3 min
Exit 277A Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin Use the right lane.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
7

Merge onto I 294

4.8 mi · 5 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

37 mi · 45 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 11A Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn straight onto IL 120

1.9 mi · 2 min · Belvidere Road
11

Continue on IL 120

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street
12

Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Turn left onto South Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Jackson Street
14

Arrive at destination

North Jackson Street

Trip Plan

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 46.3 miles from Coal City, IL, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.8 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 20 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 46.3 miles or 59m 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 35m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Coal City, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Coal City, IL

This is one driving day of about 92.6 miles and 1h 58m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Coal City, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Tri-State Tollway for about 41.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 46.3 mi from Coal City, IL · 59m into the drive

city in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Elmhurst, IL

46 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

Shorewood, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Downers Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 46.3 miles from Coal City, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Waukegan, IL

The final approach into Waukegan, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

16 mi from route ~40 min detour Free near mile 44.7
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.48 one way

$28.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $15.90 $31.79
premium $4.89 $17.82 $35.64
diesel $5.61 $20.44 $40.89

Estimated Tolls: $2.51

Tri-state Tollway (41.8 mi) $2.51

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Tolls

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 32.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 27.8 0 $9.72 $4.44
Efficient EV 23.2 0 $8.10 $3.70
EV Truck/SUV 37 0 $12.96 $5.93

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (66% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Coal City, IL

Night in Coal City on Thursday

Local time

9:23 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukegan, IL

Night in Waukegan on Thursday

Local time

9:23 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

69°F

Elmhurst, IL

46 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

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

1h 58m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Coal City, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 92.6 miles and takes about 1h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, I 55, West Division Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 46.3 miles from Coal City, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.48 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 92.6 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Coal City, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

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