Origin
Justice, IL
Afternoon in Justice on Friday
Local time
4:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Justice, IL to Waukegan, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
51.4 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Justice, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 51.4-mile drive from Justice, Illinois, to Waukegan, Illinois, is a straightforward journey that takes about 1 hour and 6 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, easily completed without needing an overnight stop. You'll mainly navigate via the Tri-State Tollway and local roads like Belvidere Road and Belvidere Street. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The route is predominantly local, offering a practical way to travel within the Midwest region of Illinois. Plan for a relatively quick and efficient transit between these two points.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 51.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m 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 turn-heavy local drive for this 51.4-mile stretch, with a 0% highway share contributing to its character. While there's a significant uninterrupted stretch of 46.6 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, the overall profile leans towards more frequent turns and transitions as you get closer to your destination. This means you'll likely experience a mix of faster tollway speeds and slower, more engaged driving on local streets. The road's personality shifts from open highway to a more urban or suburban navigation as you progress.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 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 46.6 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 I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
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 1h 6m drive. You will face about 5 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 (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Depart onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
46.6 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
Glen Rock Avenue
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
50.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
South Jackson Street
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 46.6 mi | 56m |
| Belvidere Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| South Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glen Rock Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Jackson Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 46.6 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Justice, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on I 294
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
2
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
37 mi
·
45 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 11A
Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Belvidere Road
5
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
6
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
8
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.7 mi from Justice, IL · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Justice, 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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.04 one way
$16.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.82 | $17.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.35 | $22.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.80
Tri-state Tollway
(46.6 mi)
$2.80
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$3
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.20 | $3.29 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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 Friday
Local time
4:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
9 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 6m 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 Justice, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 51.4 miles and takes about 1h 6m 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 25.7 miles from Justice, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.04 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 6m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Justice, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Waukegan, IL
More from Justice, IL
More trips to Waukegan, IL
Explore more options from Justice, IL or browse trips ending in Waukegan, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.