Origin
Eau Claire, WI
Evening in Eau Claire on Thursday
Local time
6:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eau Claire, WI to Franklin, WI
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
57.5 mi
92 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Eau Claire, WI to Franklin, WI covers 57.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, State Highway 95, County Highway N for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.9 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 57.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 15m highway drive covering 57.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and State Highway 95. The longest continuous stretch is about 33.9 miles on I 94.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 33.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 95. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Farwell Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 (South Farwell Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (US 53): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Farwell Street
Turn right onto South Farwell Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Washington Street
Turn left onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 53
Enter roundabout onto US 53
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
39.9 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward WI 95: Hixton, Alma Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 105
Toward WI 95: Hixton, Alma Center
5
40.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Eau Claire, WI to Franklin, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Alma Center along the way.
Alma Center
39.9 mi in
|
~46m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 33.9 mi | 36m |
| State Highway 95 | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| County Highway N | 6.5 mi | 11m |
| South Hastings Way | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| County Road C | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Hastings Way | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Hamilton Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Harding Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 33.9 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire, WI and Franklin, WI.
1
Start on East Grand Avenue
35 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Grand Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Farwell Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Farwell Street
3
Turn left onto Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Washington Street
4
Continue on Harding Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harding Avenue
5
Continue on Brackett Avenue
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Brackett Avenue
6
Turn slight right
515 ft
·
18 sec
7
Turn straight onto US 53 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Hastings Way
8
Take the ramp onto US 53 Business
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Hastings Way
9
Turn straight onto US 53
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
US 53
Toward US 53 South: Brackett
10
Enter roundabout onto US 53
378 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 53
11
Continue on US 53
441 ft
·
8 sec
·
US 53
12
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
13
Merge onto I 94
34 mi
·
36 min
·
I 94
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 105
Toward WI 95: Hixton, Alma Center
15
Keep slight right at fork
104 ft
·
2 sec
16
Turn right onto WI 95; CTH FF
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
State Highway 95
17
Continue on WI 95; CTH FF
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
South State Street
18
Turn left onto WI 95
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Main Street
19
Continue on WI 95
6.4 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 95
20
Turn left onto CTH P
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway P
21
Continue on CTH N
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
County Road N
22
Continue on CTH N
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hamilton Road
23
Continue on CTH N
6.5 mi
·
11 min
·
County Highway N
24
At end of road, turn right onto CTH C; CTH N
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
County Highway C
25
Continue on CTH C
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road C
26
Turn right onto Beck Road
59 ft
·
2 sec
·
Beck Road
27
Arrive at destination
Beck Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.7 mi from Eau Claire, WI · 34m 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 28.7 miles from Eau Claire, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Franklin, WI
The final approach into Franklin, WI 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
$8.99 one way
$17.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.07 | $22.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.70 | $25.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 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 | $6.04 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.05 | $3.68 |
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
Franklin, WI
Evening in Franklin on Thursday
Local time
6:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Osseo, WI
29 mi in
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
20 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 15m 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 Eau Claire, WI to Franklin, WI covers 57.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, State Highway 95, County Highway N. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.7 miles from Eau Claire, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.99 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 57.5 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (South Farwell Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (US 53): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
On the drive from Eau Claire, WI to Franklin, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Alma Center along the way.
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