Trip from Elkhart Lake, WI to City of Janesville, WI

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 39m

Distance

119.6 mi

193 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min

4 AM

2h 29m ★

6 AM

2h 40m

8 AM

3h 1m

10 AM

2h 47m

12 PM

2h 45m

3 PM

2h 48m

5 PM

3h 0m

8 PM

2h 33m

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

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Elkhart Lake, WI

Wikimedia Commons

City of Janesville, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Elkhart Lake, WI to City of Janesville, WI covers 119.6 miles and takes about 2h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on State Highway 26, WI 26, US 151 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.3 miles on State Highway 26. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.70 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

59.8 miles from Elkhart Lake, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 2h 39m highway drive covering 119.6 miles, with most of the trip on State Highway 26 and WI 26. The longest continuous stretch is about 35.3 miles on State Highway 26.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

State Highway 26 is the longest continuous segment at about 35.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 26 and WI 26. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Lake Street.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 119.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 (North Lake Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; near the start (CTH J / Gottfried Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (WI 23 / State Highway 23): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Lake Street

Turn sharp left onto North Lake Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | CTH J / Gottfried Street

Turn right onto CTH J / Gottfried Street

Navigation decision point

5.8 mi into trip | ~11m in | WI 23 / State Highway 23

Merge onto WI 23 / State Highway 23

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

Use the straight lane.

22.7 mi into trip | ~31m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

46.2 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward WI 26: Waupun, Juneau

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 144 Toward WI 26: Waupun, Juneau

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 Elkhart Lake, WI to City of Janesville, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Juneau along the way.

Juneau

46.2 mi in | ~1h

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
State Highway 26	35.3 mi	45m
WI 26	34.8 mi	45m
US 151	23.3 mi	28m
State Highway 23	15.7 mi	18m
Clark Street	1.7 mi	2m
County Road P	1.3 mi	1m
County Road A/P	1.3 mi	2m
East Johnson Street	1.2 mi	2m

Longest stretch: State Highway 26 — 35.3 mi, about 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elkhart Lake, WI and City of Janesville, WI.

Start on Arno Way

80 ft · 10 sec · Arno Way

Turn sharp left onto North Lake Street

99 ft · 9 sec · North Lake Street

Turn right onto CTH J

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Gottfried Street

Turn left onto CTH JP

0.9 mi · 2 min · County Road JP

At end of road, turn left onto CTH P

1.3 mi · 1 min · County Road P

Continue on CTH A; CTH P

1.3 mi · 2 min · County Road A/P

At end of road, turn right onto CTH A

0.4 mi · 1 min · Main Street

Turn slight left onto CTH A

1.7 mi · 2 min · Clark Street

Take the ramp onto CTH A

156 ft · 4 sec · CTH A

Merge onto WI 23

16 mi · 18 min · State Highway 23

Use the straight lane.

Continue on WI 23

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Johnson Street

Enter roundabout onto WI 23

148 ft · 8 sec · East Johnson Street

Continue on WI 23

0.3 mi · 40 sec · East Johnson Street

Turn left

0.2 mi · 38 sec

Use the left lane.

Continue on US 151

23 mi · 28 min · US 151

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Exit 144 Toward WI 26: Waupun, Juneau

Keep slight left at fork

187 ft · 4 sec

Turn left onto WI 26

6.9 mi · 9 min · State Highway 26

Continue on WI 26

0.5 mi · 1 min · Front Street

Continue on WI 26

5.6 mi · 7 min · State Highway 26

Continue on WI 26

0.9 mi · 1 min · North Main Street

Turn right onto CTH W

0.6 mi · 1 min · West North Street

Turn left onto Western Avenue

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Western Avenue

Turn right onto WI 26; CTH S

23 mi · 27 min · State Highway 26

Use the straight lane.

Continue on WI 26

35 mi · 45 min · WI 26

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn left onto East Memorial Drive

261 ft · 11 sec · East Memorial Drive

Continue on North Garfield Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Garfield Avenue

Turn right onto East Court Street

467 ft · 15 sec · East Court Street

Arrive at destination

East Court 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.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 59.8 miles from Elkhart Lake, WI, or about 1h 20m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.3 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 80 miles or 1h 46m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 59.8 miles or 1h 20m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 9m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Janesville, WI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Elkhart Lake, WI 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Elkhart Lake, WI

This is one driving day of about 119.6 miles and 2h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Elkhart Lake, WI.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on State Highway 26 for about 35.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 59.8 mi from Elkhart Lake, WI · 1h 20m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rockford, IL

60 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

Rockford, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rockford, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 59.8 miles from Elkhart Lake, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in City of Janesville, WI

The final approach into City of Janesville, WI 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 City of Janesville, WI.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.70 one way

$37.40 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 42 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$20.53	$41.06
premium	$4.89	$23.02	$46.03
diesel	$5.61	$26.41	$52.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 41.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	35.9	$12.56	$5.74
Efficient EV	29.9	$10.46	$4.78
EV Truck/SUV	47.8	$16.74	$7.65

Gas CO2

42 kg

EV CO2

14 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 2 hours ago

Origin

Elkhart Lake, WI

Late night in Elkhart Lake on Wednesday

Local time

5:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

City of Janesville, WI

Late night in City of Janesville on Wednesday

Local time

5:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

48°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

18 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

2h 39m 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 Elkhart Lake, WI to City of Janesville, WI covers 119.6 miles and takes about 2h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are State Highway 26, WI 26, US 151. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 59.8 miles from Elkhart Lake, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.70 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

On the drive from Elkhart Lake, WI to City of Janesville, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Juneau along the way.

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