Origin
Franklin Park, IL
Afternoon in Franklin Park on Saturday
Local time
12:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin 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
48m
Distance
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Franklin Park, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 35 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Belvidere Road, Belvidere Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 35 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 48m drive with frequent turns across 35 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 28 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 25th Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 48m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (25th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (IL 19 / Irving Park Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
25th Avenue
Turn left onto 25th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
IL 19 / Irving Park Road
Turn left onto IL 19 / Irving Park Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
30.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
5
34.1 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Glen Rock Avenue
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 28 mi | 33m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| 25th Avenue | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Irving Park Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Franklin Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 28 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin Park, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on Franklin Avenue
45 ft
·
9 sec
·
Franklin Avenue
2
Turn left onto 25th Avenue
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
25th Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto IL 19
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Irving Park Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
5
Merge onto I 294
28 mi
·
33 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
8
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
9
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
11
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.5 mi from Franklin Park, IL · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Franklin Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waukegan, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Waukegan, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.01 | $12.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.74 | $13.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.68
Tri-state Tollway
(28 mi)
$1.68
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Waukegan, IL
Afternoon in Waukegan on Saturday
Local time
12:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
WNW 20 mph
17% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 4:02AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 3:59AM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
25 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
48m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Franklin Park, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 35 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Belvidere Road, Belvidere Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.5 miles from Franklin Park, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.47 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 is a straightforward 48m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (25th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (IL 19 / Irving Park Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Franklin Park, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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