Origin
Evergreen Park, IL
Afternoon in Evergreen Park on Saturday
Local time
3:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evergreen Park, IL to Waukegan, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 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 11m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evergreen Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Evergreen Park, IL to Waukegan, IL is 55.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m via Edens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically within Illinois, connecting two points in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Expect a mixed driving experience that predominantly utilizes major expressways. With a recommended one-day duration, this trip is ideal for a quick journey or an extension of local exploration rather than an extended vacation. You'll be navigating through a densely populated region, so be prepared for typical urban traffic patterns.
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 |
| West 95th Street | 4 mi | 6m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 2.8 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evergreen Park, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on US 12; US 20
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
West 95th Street
Use the left lane.
2
Turn left onto South State Street
427 ft
·
8 sec
·
South State Street
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 94 West
4
Merge onto I 94
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
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.
6
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 94
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
10
Continue on US 41
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward IL 120 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto IL 120
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Belvidere Road
13
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
14
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Evergreen Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 52.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
South State Street
Turn left onto South State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway
Merge onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.3 mi into trip
|
~11m 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
36.9 mi into trip
|
~52m 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
52.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.68 one way
$17.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.53 | $19.05 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.68 | $21.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.25 | $24.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Afternoon in Waukegan on Saturday
Local time
3:06 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
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 17m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a mixed drive, with 58% of it on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Edens Expressway and Kennedy Expressway, which are major urban arteries. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.5 miles on the Edens Expressway. As you progress north, the drive transitions to South Skokie Highway, offering a slightly different feel as you move through various suburban landscapes. The character is primarily that of efficient, albeit sometimes busy, expressway travel.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.5 mi on Edens Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 4 miles in near South State Street.
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 55.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 4 miles (South State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Waukegan, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (South State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waukegan, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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