Trip from Potter Lake, WI to West Allis, WI

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are I 43, Zoo Freeway, West Greenfield Avenue. 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 13.1 miles from Potter Lake, 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 $4.10 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.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

37m

Distance

26.2 mi

42 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min

4 AM

0h 35m ★

6 AM

0h 38m

8 AM

0h 44m

10 AM

0h 40m

12 PM

0h 39m

3 PM

0h 40m

5 PM

0h 44m

8 PM

0h 36m

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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Trip Overview

The drive from Potter Lake, WI to West Allis, WI covers 26.2 miles and takes about 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 43, Zoo Freeway, West Greenfield Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.5 miles on I 43. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.10 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 26.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

37m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 37m highway drive covering 26.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 43 and Zoo Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.5 miles on I 43.

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

There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 43 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 43 and Zoo Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Miramar Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 26.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.2 miles (Miramar Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (I 43): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

5

0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Miramar Road

At end of road, turn left onto Miramar Road

Navigation decision point

6

3.9 mi into trip | ~9m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

5

4.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 43

Merge onto I 43

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

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

6

20.8 mi into trip | ~28m in | US 45

Take the exit onto US 45 toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison

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

Exit 61 Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fon...

7

24.5 mi into trip | ~33m in

Take the exit toward WI 59: Greenfield Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1D Toward WI 59: Greenfield Avenue

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

On the drive from Potter Lake, WI to West Allis, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Madison along the way.

Madison

20.8 mi in | ~28m | via US 45

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 43	16.5 mi	18m
Zoo Freeway	3.1 mi	4m
West Greenfield Avenue	1.5 mi	3m
County Highway ES	1.3 mi	2m
Main Street	1.2 mi	2m
South Rochester Street	0.6 mi	1m
US 45	0.6 mi	<1m
Miramar Road	0.5 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 43 — 16.5 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Potter Lake, WI and West Allis, WI.

1

Start on Maple Street

0.2 mi · 51 sec · Maple Street

2

At end of road, turn left onto Miramar Road

466 ft · 20 sec · Miramar Road

3

Continue on Miramar Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Miramar Road

4

Turn right onto CTH ES

1.3 mi · 2 min · County Highway ES

5

Continue on CTH ES

1.2 mi · 2 min · Main Street

6

Turn right onto Front Street

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Front Street

7

Turn straight onto WI 83

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Rochester Street

8

Turn left

0.4 mi · 53 sec

Use the straight / left lanes.

9

Merge onto I 43

16 mi · 18 min · I 43

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

10

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

11

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

3.1 mi · 4 min · Zoo Freeway

12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 1D Toward WI 59: Greenfield Avenue Use the slight right lane.

13

Turn right onto WI 59

1.5 mi · 3 min · West Greenfield Avenue

Use the left lane.

14

Arrive at destination

WI 59

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.10 one way

$8.19 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$4.50	$8.99
premium	$4.89	$5.04	$10.08
diesel	$5.61	$5.78	$11.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	7.9	$2.75	$1.26
Efficient EV	6.6	$2.29	$1.05
EV Truck/SUV	10.5	$3.67	$1.68

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Potter Lake, WI

Evening in Potter Lake on Thursday

Local time

6:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

West Allis, WI

Evening in West Allis on Thursday

Local time

6:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 10 mph 41% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 5:30PM CDT until April 13 at 6:30PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 5:27PM CDT until April 13 at 6:15PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

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

12 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

37m 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 Potter Lake, WI to West Allis, WI covers 26.2 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.