Origin
Dolton, IL
Evening in Dolton on Thursday
Local time
6:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dolton, IL to Waukegan, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
57.7 mi
93 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dolton, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dolton, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 57.7 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Edens Expressway, South Skokie Highway, Kennedy Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 57.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Dolton, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 57.7 miles and takes about 1h 22m, 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 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Edens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.5 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 1.6 miles in near East 130th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.6 miles (East 130th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (South Wabash Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East 130th Street
At end of road, turn left onto East 130th Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
South Wabash Avenue
Turn left onto South Wabash Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
9.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
6
39 mi into trip
|
~57m 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
54.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m 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
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| South Skokie Highway | 8.2 mi | 10m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| South Michigan Avenue | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dolton, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on Lincoln Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
2
Continue on South Leyden Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
South Leyden Avenue
3
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Indiana Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto East 130th Street
335 ft
·
6 sec
·
East 130th Street
5
Continue on South Indiana Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Indiana Avenue
6
Turn left onto East 127th Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East 127th Street
7
Turn right onto South Michigan Avenue
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
South Michigan Avenue
8
Turn left onto South Wabash Avenue
170 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Wabash Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 94 West
10
Merge onto I 94
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
11
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 94
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
17
Continue on US 41
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward IL 120 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto IL 120
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Belvidere Road
20
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
21
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
23
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.8 mi from Dolton, IL · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Dolton, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.02 one way
$18.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.90 | $19.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.10 | $22.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.74 | $25.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.08 | $3.69 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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 Thursday
Local time
6:35 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
9 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 22m 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 Dolton, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 57.7 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Edens Expressway, South Skokie Highway, Kennedy Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.8 miles from Dolton, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.02 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 57.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.6 miles (East 130th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (South Wabash Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Dolton, 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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