Origin
Cobden, IL
Morning in Cobden on Monday
Local time
9:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cobden, IL to Waukegan, IL
Drive Time
7h 28m
Distance
391.2 mi
630 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$59
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 18m
★
6 AM
7h 28m
8 AM
7h 49m
10 AM
7h 36m
12 PM
7h 33m
3 PM
7h 37m
5 PM
7h 48m
8 PM
7h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
The drive from Cobden, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 391.2 miles and takes about 7h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Front Street, East Ash Street, Wing Hill Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $59.42 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
195.6 miles from Cobden, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 44m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 28m drive with frequent turns across 391.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Front Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 28m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cobden, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Front Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Ash Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Wing Hill Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 1615E | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Vienna Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 770N | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ken Gray Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 57 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
South Front Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cobden, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on East Maple
66 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Maple
2
Turn right onto South Front Street
377 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Front Street
3
Turn right onto East Ash Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Ash Street
4
Continue on Wing Hill Road
1.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Wing Hill Road
5
Turn right onto 1615E
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
1615E
6
Turn left onto East Vienna Street
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
East Vienna Street
7
Continue on 770N
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
770N
8
Take the ramp left
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
9
Merge slight left onto Ken Gray Expressway
66 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
Ken Gray Expressway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway
67 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
Ken Gray Expressway
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 57 North: Chicago
195 mi
·
3 hr 34 min
·
I 57 North: Chicago
12
Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
13
Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
14
Continue on Kennedy Expressway
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
15
Continue on Edens Expressway
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
16
Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
17
Continue on Skokie Valley Road
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
18
Continue on South Skokie Highway
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Skokie Highway
19
Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
IL 120 East
20
Turn straight onto Belvidere Road
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Belvidere Road
21
Continue on Belvidere Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
22
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
23
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
24
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 195.6 miles from Cobden, IL, or about 3h 44m into the drive.
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 86 miles or 1h 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 195.6 miles or 3h 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 19m
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 Cobden, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cobden, IL
This is one driving day of about 391.2 miles and 7h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Cobden, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 195.6 mi from Cobden, IL · 3h 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
196 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 86 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 195.6 miles from Cobden, 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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Waukegan, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.42 one way
$118.84 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
137 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $65.50 | $131.01 |
| premium | $4.80 | $73.85 | $147.70 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $86.91 | $173.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$59
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$84–$109
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 136.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 117.4 | 1 | $41.08 | $18.78 |
| Efficient EV | 97.8 | 1 | $34.23 | $15.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 156.5 | 1 | $54.77 | $25.04 |
Gas CO2
137 kg
EV CO2
46 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Morning in Waukegan on Monday
Local time
9:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
31 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
7h 28m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cobden, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 391.2 miles and takes about 7h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Front Street, East Ash Street, Wing Hill Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 195.6 miles from Cobden, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $59.42 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 28m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cobden, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cobden, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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