Origin
Franklin, WI
Evening in Franklin on Wednesday
Local time
6:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, WI to River Falls, WI
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
5h 47m
Distance
311 mi
500 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$49
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 35m
★
6 AM
5h 48m
8 AM
6h 14m
10 AM
5h 57m
12 PM
5h 54m
3 PM
5h 58m
5 PM
6h 13m
8 PM
5h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, WI
Tom Fisk
River Falls, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Franklin, WI to River Falls, WI covers 311 miles and takes about 5h 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Saint Martins Road, South Lovers Lane Road, I 43 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.62 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
155.5 miles from Franklin, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 53m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 47m drive with frequent turns across 311 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Saint Martins Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 47m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Franklin, WI to River Falls, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Saint Martins Road | — | — |
| South Lovers Lane Road | — | — |
| I 43 North | — | — |
| Rock Freeway | — | — |
| I 41 North | — | — |
| Zoo Freeway | — | — |
| I 94 West | — | — |
| East-West Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Saint Martins Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, WI and River Falls, WI.
1
Start on the route
141 ft
·
11 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right
89 ft
·
8 sec
3
At the end of the road, turn right
384 ft
·
17 sec
4
Turn left onto West Saint Martins Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Saint Martins Road
5
Continue on South Lovers Lane Road
4.4 mi
·
8 min
·
South Lovers Lane Road
6
Take the ramp slight right toward I 43 North, US 45 North
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
I 43 North, US 45 North
7
Merge slight left onto Rock Freeway
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Rock Freeway
8
Take the exit slight left toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
9
Merge slight right onto Zoo Freeway
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Zoo Freeway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Madison
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 94 West: Madison
12
Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Madison
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
I 94 West: Madison
13
Merge slight left onto East-West Freeway
10 mi
·
11 min
·
East-West Freeway
14
Keep slight left to continue on East-West Freeway
54 mi
·
57 min
·
East-West Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire
29 mi
·
31 min
·
I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire
16
Keep slight left
63 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
17
Keep slight right to continue on I 94 West: Eau Claire, Saint Paul
130 mi
·
2 hr 19 min
·
I 94 West: Eau Claire, Saint Paul
18
Take the exit slight right toward CTH T: Hammond
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
CTH T: Hammond
19
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward County Highway T
243 ft
·
5 sec
·
County Highway T
20
Exit the roundabout onto County Highway T
486 ft
·
28 sec
·
County Highway T
21
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward County Highway T
144 ft
·
8 sec
·
County Highway T
22
Exit the roundabout onto County Highway T
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
County Highway T
23
Turn right onto County Highway N
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
County Highway N
24
At the end of the road, turn left onto County Highway J
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
County Highway J
25
Turn left onto State Highway 65
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 65
26
Continue on North Main Street
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
27
Turn left onto East Cedar Street
171 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Cedar Street
28
Turn right
69 ft
·
5 sec
29
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 155.5 miles from Franklin, WI, or about 2h 53m into the drive.
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 68 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 155.5 miles or 2h 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 4h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near River Falls, 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 311 miles and 5h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Franklin, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 155.5 mi from Franklin, WI · 2h 53m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
156 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 68 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 155.5 miles from Franklin, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in River Falls, WI
The final approach into River Falls, 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 River Falls, 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
$48.62 one way
$97.24 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
109 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $53.38 | $106.77 |
| premium | $4.89 | $59.85 | $119.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $68.66 | $137.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 93.3 | 1 | $32.65 | $14.93 |
| Efficient EV | 77.8 | 0 | $27.21 | $12.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 124.4 | 1 | $43.54 | $19.90 |
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
River Falls, WI
Evening in River Falls on Wednesday
Local time
6:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
64°F
Adams, WI
156 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 47m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 River Falls, WI covers 311 miles and takes about 5h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Saint Martins Road, South Lovers Lane Road, I 43 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 155.5 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 $48.62 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 47m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Franklin, WI to River Falls, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Franklin, WI to River Falls, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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