Origin
Riley, IL
Afternoon in Riley on Saturday
Local time
3:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riley, IL to Waukegan, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
52.1 mi
84 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 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
The drive from Riley, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 52.1 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Anthony Road, South State Street, Telegraph Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.15 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Road | — | — |
| South State Street | — | — |
| Telegraph Street | — | — |
| Bull Valley Road | — | — |
| Charles J Miller Road | — | — |
| South River Road | — | — |
| Chapel Hill Road | — | — |
| West Elm Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Anthony Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riley, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on Riley Road
144 ft
·
9 sec
·
Riley Road
2
Turn right onto Anthony Road
0.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Anthony Road
3
Turn left onto South State Street
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
South State Street
4
Turn right onto Telegraph Street
9.0 mi
·
13 min
·
Telegraph Street
5
Turn right
0.8 mi
·
1 min
6
Turn left
7.1 mi
·
12 min
7
Turn left
5.1 mi
·
8 min
8
Turn right onto Bull Valley Road
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Bull Valley Road
9
Continue on Charles J Miller Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Charles J Miller Road
10
At the end of the road, turn left onto South River Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South River Road
11
Continue on Chapel Hill Road
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Chapel Hill Road
12
Turn slight right
207 ft
·
6 sec
13
Turn straight onto West Elm Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Elm Street
14
Continue on Rand Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Rand Road
15
Continue on West Belvidere Road
10 mi
·
16 min
·
West Belvidere Road
16
Continue on Belvidere Road
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Belvidere Road
17
Continue on Belvidere Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
18
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
19
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jackson Street
20
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 26 miles from Riley, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.15 one way
$16.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.94 | $17.89 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.03 | $20.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.50 | $23.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 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 | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.29 | $3.33 |
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 Saturday
Local time
3:54 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
6 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 24m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
52.1 mi in 1h 24m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Anthony Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Riley, IL to Waukegan, IL is easy. At 1h 24m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Riley, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 52.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m 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
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Riley, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waukegan, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.
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