Origin
Waukegan, IL
Evening in Waukegan on Wednesday
Local time
6:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
3h 50m
Distance
197 mi
317 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 38m
★
6 AM
3h 51m
8 AM
4h 16m
10 AM
4h 0m
12 PM
3h 57m
3 PM
4h 1m
5 PM
4h 15m
8 PM
3h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marquette Heights, IL
Choco Kitty
Trip Overview
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL covers 197 miles and takes about 3h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Glen Rock Avenue, Belvidere Street, Belvidere Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.80 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
98.5 miles from Waukegan, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 55m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 50m drive with frequent turns across 197 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Glen Rock Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL is easy. At 3h 50m 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 Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Glen Rock Avenue | — | — |
| Belvidere Street | — | — |
| Belvidere Road | — | — |
| I 94 East | — | — |
| Tri-State Tollway | — | — |
| I 55 | — | — |
| I 55 South | — | — |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Glen Rock Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Marquette Heights, 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 Belvidere Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Road
5
Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
I 94 East Toll: Chicago
6
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
7
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
23 mi
·
28 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
8
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
9
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
11
Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
12
Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway
113 mi
·
2 hr 6 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 74 West: Peoria
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 74 West: Peoria
14
Continue straight
27 mi
·
29 min
15
Keep slight left to continue on I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island
16
Take the exit slight right toward IL 29: Pekin, East Peoria
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
IL 29: Pekin, East Peoria
17
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
South Main Street
18
Continue on Radio City Drive
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Radio City Drive
19
Continue on Radio City Drive
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Radio City Drive
20
Turn right onto LaSalle Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
LaSalle Boulevard
21
Turn right onto Joliet Road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Joliet Road
22
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 98.5 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
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 43 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.5 miles or 1h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marquette Heights, 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 197 miles and 3h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Waukegan, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 98.5 mi from Waukegan, IL · 1h 55m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
99 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 98.5 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Marquette Heights, IL
The final approach into Marquette Heights, 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 Marquette Heights, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.80 one way
$61.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
69 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $33.82 | $67.63 |
| premium | $4.89 | $37.91 | $75.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.50 | $86.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 59.1 | 0 | $20.68 | $9.46 |
| Efficient EV | 49.3 | 0 | $17.24 | $7.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 78.8 | 0 | $27.58 | $12.61 |
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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
Marquette Heights, IL
Evening in Marquette Heights on Wednesday
Local time
6:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°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
19 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
3h 50m 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 Marquette Heights, IL covers 197 miles and takes about 3h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Glen Rock Avenue, Belvidere Street, Belvidere Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 98.5 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 $30.80 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL is easy. At 3h 50m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Waukegan, IL to Marquette Heights, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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