Trip from Franklin, WI to De Forest, WI

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are East-West Freeway, I 94, South Lovers Lane Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 42.6 miles from Franklin, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.96 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Drive Time

1h 42m

Distance

85.3 mi

137 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min

4 AM

1h 35m ★

6 AM

1h 42m

8 AM

1h 58m

10 AM

1h 48m

12 PM

1h 46m

3 PM

1h 49m

5 PM

1h 57m

8 PM

1h 38m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Franklin, WI

Tom Fisk

De Forest, WI

Masood Aslami

Trip Overview

The drive from Franklin, WI to De Forest, WI covers 85.3 miles and takes about 1h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East-West Freeway, I 94, South Lovers Lane Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.8 miles on East-West Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.96 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

0 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

42.6 miles from Franklin, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 1h 42m highway drive covering 85.3 miles, with most of the trip on East-West Freeway and I 94. The longest continuous stretch is about 63.8 miles on East-West Freeway.

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

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East-West Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 63.8 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

999 ft 746 ft

Total Climb

369 ft

Total Descent

298 ft

Highest Point

999 ft

~74.6 mi in

Elevation Range

253 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East-West Freeway and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 85.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.3 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

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

9.6 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1B-A Toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee

9.8 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Madison

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 1B Toward I 94 West: Madison

74.3 mi into trip | ~1h 27m in | I 94

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 240 Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wiscon...

81.2 mi into trip | ~1h 34m in

Take the exit toward WI 19: Waunakee, Sun Prairie

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 131 Toward WI 19: Waunakee, Sun Prairie

81.4 mi into trip | ~1h 35m in

Keep slight left at fork toward WI 19 West: Waunakee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward WI 19 West: Waunakee

Towns Along This Route

Between Franklin, WI and De Forest, WI, road signs point toward Madison, Milwaukee and Eau Claire.

Madison

5.3 mi in | ~10m | via US 45

Milwaukee

9.6 mi in | ~16m

Eau Claire

74.3 mi in | ~1h 27m | via I 94

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East-West Freeway	63.8 mi	1h 9m
I 94	6.9 mi	7m
South Lovers Lane Road	4.4 mi	8m
Zoo Freeway	3.7 mi	5m
Lake Road	3 mi	5m
US 45	1 mi	2m
South Main Street	0.6 mi	1m
Rock Freeway	0.2 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: East-West Freeway — 63.8 mi, about 1h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, WI and De Forest, WI.

Start on this road

141 ft · 11 sec · this road

Turn right

89 ft · 8 sec

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

384 ft · 16 sec · US 45

Turn left onto US 45; WI 100

0.1 mi · 14 sec · West Saint Martins Road

Continue on US 45; WI 100

4.4 mi · 8 min · South Lovers Lane Road

Take the ramp onto US 45

0.4 mi · 52 sec · US 45

Toward I 43 North, US 45 North

Merge onto I 43; US 45

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Rock Freeway

Take the exit onto US 45

0.6 mi · 55 sec · US 45

Exit 61 Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison

Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45

3.7 mi · 5 min · Zoo Freeway

Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec

Exit 1B-A Toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 56 sec

Exit 1B Toward I 94 West: Madison Use the slight left lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 11 sec

Toward I 94 West: Madison

Merge onto I 94

10 mi · 11 min · East-West Freeway

Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

54 mi · 57 min · East-West Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94

6.9 mi · 7 min · I 94

Exit 240 Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec

Exit 131 Toward WI 19: Waunakee, Sun Prairie Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

452 ft · 13 sec

Toward WI 19 West: Waunakee Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Turn slight right

0.1 mi · 20 sec

Turn slight right onto CTH CV

3.0 mi · 5 min · Lake Road

Continue on CTH CV

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Main Street

Arrive at destination

CTH CV

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.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 42.6 miles from Franklin, WI, or about 53m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.8 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 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 42.6 miles or 53m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 25m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Franklin, 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 Franklin, WI

This is one driving day of about 85.3 miles and 1h 42m.

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

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

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on East-West Freeway for about 63.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 42.6 mi from Franklin, WI · 53m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waukegan, IL

43 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 42.6 miles from Franklin, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before East-West Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.8 miles.

Arriving in De Forest, WI

The final approach into De Forest, 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 De Forest, 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

$12.96 one way

$25.91 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$14.28	$28.57
premium	$4.80	$16.10	$32.21
diesel	$5.64	$18.95	$37.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	25.6	$8.96	$4.09
Efficient EV	21.3	$7.46	$3.41
EV Truck/SUV	34.1	$11.94	$5.46

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 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 3 days ago

Origin

Franklin, WI

Evening in Franklin on Sunday

Local time

7:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

De Forest, WI

Evening in De Forest on Sunday

Local time

7:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

40°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

1 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 42m 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 Franklin, WI to De Forest, WI covers 85.3 miles and takes about 1h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East-West Freeway, I 94, South Lovers Lane Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 42.6 miles from Franklin, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.96 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.