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Trip from Waukegan, IL to Gardner, IL

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

2h 4m

Distance

99.2 mi

160 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 55m ★
6 AM
2h 4m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 10m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 11m
5 PM
2h 21m
8 PM
1h 59m

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 Gardner, IL, IL

Gardner, IL

Stéphane Tendon

Trip Overview

The drive from Waukegan, IL to Gardner, IL covers 99.2 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Tri-State Tollway, Belvidere Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.5 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.51 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

49.6 miles from Waukegan, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

The drive from Waukegan, IL to Gardner, IL covers 99.2 miles and takes about 2h 4m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Adlai Stevenson Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 49.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.9 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 99.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 18.9 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

8
18.9 mi into trip | ~25m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
6
46.4 mi into trip | ~59m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
47.6 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis

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

Exit 23 Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
7
48.3 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
7
98.2 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in

Take the exit toward IL 53: Gardner

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 227 Toward IL 53: Gardner

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Waukegan, IL and Gardner, IL, road signs point toward O'hare and St. Louis.

O'hare

18.9 mi in | ~25m | via I 294

St. Louis

47.6 mi in | ~1h 1m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 49.5 mi 58m
Tri-State Tollway 42.6 mi 51m
Belvidere Road 2.2 mi 3m
Belvidere Street 1.6 mi 3m
North Jackson Street 0.5 mi 1m
Glen Rock Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
West Main Street 0.4 mi 1m
IL 53 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 49.5 mi, about 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on North Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Jackson Street
2

Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue
3

Turn right onto Belvidere Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street
4

Continue on IL 120

2.2 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
6

Merge onto I 94

14 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294

23 mi · 28 min · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

4.8 mi · 5 min · Tri-State Tollway
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294

1.2 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 23 Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 55

49 mi · 58 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 227 Toward IL 53: Gardner Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn left onto IL 53

0.3 mi · 28 sec · IL 53
15

Continue on West Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
16

Turn right onto South Grundy Street

111 ft · 4 sec · South Grundy Street
17

Arrive at destination

South Grundy 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 49.6 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.5 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 80 miles or 1h 40m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 49.6 miles or 1h 4m 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 42m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Waukegan, 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 Waukegan, IL

This is one driving day of about 99.2 miles and 2h 4m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Waukegan, 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 Adlai Stevenson Expressway for about 49.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 49.6 mi from Waukegan, IL · 1h 4m into the drive

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Berwyn, IL

50 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

Joliet, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Orland Park, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.6 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Gardner, IL

The final approach into Gardner, 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 Gardner, IL.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

16 mi from route ~41 min detour Free near mile 47.9
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.51 one way

$31.02 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $17.03 $34.06
premium $4.89 $19.09 $38.18
diesel $5.61 $21.90 $43.80

Estimated Tolls: $2.55

Tri-state Tollway (42.6 mi) $2.55

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Tolls

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.8 0 $10.42 $4.76
Efficient EV 24.8 0 $8.68 $3.97
EV Truck/SUV 39.7 0 $13.89 $6.35

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (66% 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 5 days ago

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Evening in Waukegan on Tuesday

Local time

7:51 PM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gardner, IL

Evening in Gardner on Tuesday

Local time

7:51 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

9 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

2h 4m 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 Waukegan, IL to Gardner, IL covers 99.2 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Tri-State Tollway, Belvidere Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 49.6 miles from Waukegan, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.51 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 demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 99.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 18.9 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Waukegan, IL and Gardner, IL, road signs point toward O'hare and St. Louis.

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