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Trip from Jackson, WI to Racine, WI

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 18m

Distance

58 mi

93 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 13m ★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m

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

Downtown Jackson, WI, WI

Jackson, WI

RDNE Stock project

city in and county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States

Racine, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 58-mile journey from Jackson to Racine, Wisconsin, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 18 minutes. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of it utilizing major freeways like the West Bend Freeway and the North-South Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $9, this drive offers an economical option for getting between these two Midwest locations. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, leaving you flexible to depart at your convenience and enjoy the relatively short travel time.

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

29 miles from Jackson, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 37m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a highway-intensive experience for most of this 58-mile drive, as 81% of the route is on freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.2 miles along the West Bend Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a freeway drive, the inclusion of Northwestern Avenue suggests a transition towards more localized roads closer to your destination. This profile indicates a drive where you'll spend a significant amount of time on high-speed, direct routes, minimizing slower, more winding sections.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Bend Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 28.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on West Bend Freeway and North-South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near WI 60 / State Highway 60.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58 miles you will encounter 18 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 1 miles (WI 60 / State Highway 60): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.4 miles (US 45 / West Bend Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

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

5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | WI 60 / State Highway 60

Enter roundabout onto WI 60 / State Highway 60

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Enter roundabout toward US 45 South: Milwaukee

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Toward US 45 South: Milwaukee
5
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 45 / West Bend Freeway

Merge onto US 45 / West Bend Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
34 mi into trip | ~43m in | I 41; US 41

Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 10B Toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
8
47.2 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the exit toward CTH K: Racine, Caledonia

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 329 Toward CTH K: Racine, Caledonia

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Jackson, WI and Racine, WI, road signs point toward Cth K: Racine and Caledonia.

Cth K: Racine

47.2 mi in | ~59m

Caledonia

47.2 mi in | ~59m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Bend Freeway 28.2 mi 34m
North-South Freeway 11.9 mi 13m
Northwestern Avenue 9 mi 15m
Airport Freeway 4.3 mi 5m
I 41 1.3 mi 1m
State Highway 60 1 mi 2m
State Street 1 mi 1m
Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: West Bend Freeway — 28.2 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, WI and Racine, WI.

1

Start on South Center Street

56 ft · 6 sec · South Center Street
2

Turn left onto WI 60

0.9 mi · 2 min · State Highway 60
3

Enter roundabout onto WI 60

124 ft · 6 sec · State Highway 60
4

Continue on WI 60

427 ft · 9 sec · State Highway 60
5

Enter roundabout

175 ft · 10 sec
Toward US 45 South: Milwaukee
6

Continue

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward US 45 South: Milwaukee
7

Merge onto US 45

28 mi · 34 min · West Bend Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41

4.3 mi · 5 min · Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41

1.3 mi · 1 min · I 41; US 41
Exit 10B Toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41

12 mi · 13 min · North-South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 30 sec
Exit 329 Toward CTH K: Racine, Caledonia Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn left onto CTH K

5.1 mi · 9 min · Northwestern Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
13

Enter roundabout onto WI 38

27 ft · 0 sec · Northwestern Avenue
14

Continue on WI 38

3.4 mi · 5 min · Northwestern Avenue
Use the straight lane.
15

Enter roundabout onto WI 38

91 ft · 1 sec · Northwestern Avenue
16

Continue on WI 38

0.4 mi · 34 sec · Northwestern Avenue
17

Enter roundabout onto WI 38

72 ft · 4 sec · State Street
18

Continue on WI 38

1.0 mi · 1 min · State Street
Use the straight lane.
19

Turn right onto WI 32

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Main Street
20

Turn right onto WI 20; WI 32

309 ft · 17 sec · 6th Street
21

Turn left onto Wisconsin Avenue

284 ft · 14 sec · Wisconsin Avenue
22

Turn left onto WI 20; WI 32

245 ft · 8 sec · 7th Street
23

Arrive at destination

WI 20; WI 32

Trip Plan

Given the short 1 hour and 18-minute duration for this 58-mile trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits you best, perhaps avoiding peak local traffic. With a low fuel cost of around $9, you won't need to stress about frequent refueling stops. The longest stretch on the West Bend Freeway is 28.2 miles, so plan your last restroom break before heading onto that section. Since this is a quick drive, consider packing snacks to maximize your time at your destination rather than stopping for meals.

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 29 miles from Jackson, WI, or about 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.2 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 13 miles or 17m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 29 miles or 37m 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 3m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Jackson, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Jackson, WI

This is one driving day of about 58 miles and 1h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 13 miles from Jackson, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on West Bend Freeway for about 28.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 29 mi from Jackson, WI · 37m into the drive

village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Greendale, WI

29 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

Butler, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Greendale, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29 miles from Jackson, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Racine, WI

The final approach into Racine, WI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.07 one way

$18.14 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.96 $19.91
premium $4.89 $11.16 $22.32
diesel $5.61 $12.81 $25.61

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$9

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.4 0 $6.09 $2.78
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.07 $2.32
EV Truck/SUV 23.2 0 $8.12 $3.71

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Jackson, WI

Night in Jackson on Wednesday

Local time

9:03 PM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Racine, WI

Night in Racine on Wednesday

Local time

9:03 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°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

22 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 18m 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 Jackson, WI to Racine, WI covers 58 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Bend Freeway, North-South Freeway, Northwestern Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29 miles from Jackson, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.07 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 58 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (WI 60 / State Highway 60): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.4 miles (US 45 / West Bend Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Jackson, WI and Racine, WI, road signs point toward Cth K: Racine and Caledonia.

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