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Trip from Harlem, IL to Waukegan, IL

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

71.3 mi

115 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 37m ★
6 AM
1h 44m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 48m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m

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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Downtown Harlem, IL, IL

Harlem, IL

_ Whittington

Trip Overview

The drive from Harlem, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 71.3 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Diggins Street, West IL Route 173, West Grove Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.8 miles on East Diggins Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.15 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

35.7 miles from Harlem, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 1h 44m drive with frequent turns across 71.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Diggins Street is the longest continuous segment at about 18.8 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 around 23.7 miles in near US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 1h 44m 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: at 23.7 miles (US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.2 miles (IL 173 / East Diggins Street): Navigation decision point; at 68.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

4
23.7 mi into trip | ~34m in | US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street

Turn left onto US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street

Navigation decision point

4
24.2 mi into trip | ~35m in | IL 173 / East Diggins Street

Turn right onto IL 173 / East Diggins Street

Navigation decision point

6
68.1 mi into trip | ~1h 37m in

Take the exit toward IL 132: Grand Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward IL 132: Grand Avenue
8
68.2 mi into trip | ~1h 37m in

Keep slight left at fork toward IL 132 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward IL 132 East
4
71.1 mi into trip | ~1h 43m in | North Jackson Street

Turn right onto North Jackson Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East Diggins Street 18.8 mi 26m
West IL Route 173 13.9 mi 21m
West Grove Street 12.4 mi 17m
North Skokie Highway 7.4 mi 8m
State Route 173 5.6 mi 7m
Kenosha Road 3.7 mi 5m
West Lane Road 3.6 mi 5m
Grand Avenue 2.8 mi 5m
Longest stretch: East Diggins Street — 18.8 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Harlem, IL and Waukegan, IL.

1

Start on Harlem Road

0.5 mi · 56 sec · Harlem Road
2

Turn left onto North Perryville Road

1.7 mi · 2 min · North Perryville Road
3

Turn right onto IL 173

3.6 mi · 5 min · West Lane Road
4

Continue on IL 173

5.6 mi · 7 min · State Route 173
5

Continue on IL 173

12 mi · 17 min · West Grove Street
6

Turn left onto US 14; IL 173

0.5 mi · 49 sec · South Division Street
7

Turn right onto IL 173

19 mi · 26 min · East Diggins Street
8

Continue on IL 173

3.7 mi · 5 min · Kenosha Road
9

Continue on IL 173

14 mi · 21 min · West IL Route 173
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto US 41

7.4 mi · 8 min · North Skokie Highway
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward IL 132: Grand Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

308 ft · 10 sec
Toward IL 132 East Use the left lane.
13

Turn straight onto IL 132

2.8 mi · 5 min · Grand Avenue
Use the right lane.
14

Turn right onto North Jackson Street

0.3 mi · 37 sec · North Jackson Street
15

Arrive at destination

North Jackson 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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.7 miles from Harlem, IL, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.8 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 71.3 miles or 1h 44m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 35.7 miles or 52m 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 28m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Harlem, IL 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 Harlem, IL

This is one driving day of about 71.3 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Harlem, IL.
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 Diggins Street for about 18.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 35.7 mi from Harlem, IL · 52m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Palatine, IL

36 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

Palatine, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 71.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Elgin, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.7 miles from Harlem, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Waukegan, IL

The final approach into Waukegan, IL 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 Waukegan, IL.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.15 one way

$22.29 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $12.24 $24.48
premium $4.89 $13.72 $27.44
diesel $5.61 $15.74 $31.48

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.4 0 $7.49 $3.42
Efficient EV 17.8 0 $6.24 $2.85
EV Truck/SUV 28.5 0 $9.98 $4.56

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast data refreshed 11 hours ago

Origin

Harlem, IL

Evening in Harlem on Tuesday

Local time

7:51 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 to 15 mph 52% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Waukegan, IL

Evening in Waukegan on Tuesday

Local time

7:51 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 to 15 mph 66% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

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

2 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 44m 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 Harlem, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 71.3 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Diggins Street, West IL Route 173, West Grove Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.7 miles from Harlem, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.15 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 1h 44m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 23.7 miles (US 14; IL 173 / South Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.2 miles (IL 173 / East Diggins Street): Navigation decision point; at 68.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Harlem, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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