The drive from Waukegan, IL to Olney, IL covers 284.6 miles and takes about 5h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 57, Edens Expressway, North 1250th Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 168.9 miles on I 57.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
142.3 miles from Waukegan, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 49m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 50m. Total distance: 284.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 50m highway drive covering 284.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and Edens Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 168.9 miles on I 57.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 168.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Edens Expressway. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in near IL 137 / Buckley Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 284.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 4.1 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (US 41 / North Skokie Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
4.1 mi into trip|~8m in|IL 137 / Buckley Road
Turn right onto IL 137 / Buckley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
5.2 mi into trip|~10m in|US 41 / North Skokie Highway
Turn left onto US 41 / North Skokie Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
42.2 mi into trip|~56m in|I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
8
51 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|I 57
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 South: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 63
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
5
219.9 mi into trip|~4h 15m in
Take the exit toward IL 16 East: Charleston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 190A
Toward IL 16 East: Charleston
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
168.9 mi
3h 6m
Edens Expressway
13.7 mi
17m
North 1250th Street
13.3 mi
19m
South Van Buren Street
11 mi
15m
Route 130
10 mi
14m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.8 mi
11m
Kennedy Expressway
8.1 mi
11m
County Road 1100 East
6.7 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 168.9 mi, about 3h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Olney, 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
0.3 mi·33 sec·Belvidere Street
4
Turn left onto South Lewis Avenue
2.9 mi·5 min·South Lewis Avenue
5
Turn right onto IL 137
1.1 mi·1 min·Buckley Road
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto US 41
5.6 mi·6 min·North Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi·3 min·Skokie Valley Road
8
Continue on US 41
3.8 mi·4 min·Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 94; US 41
14 mi·17 min·Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi·11 min·Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Continue on I 90; I 94
2.4 mi·2 min·Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
8.8 mi·11 min·Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 ExpressUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
169 mi·3 hr 6 min·I 57
Exit 63Toward I 57 South: MemphisUse the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·47 sec
Exit 190AToward IL 16 East: Charleston
15
Turn straight onto IL 16
0.7 mi·1 min·Charleston Avenue East
16
Continue on IL 16
6.0 mi·8 min·Illinois Route 16
17
Continue on IL 16
1.8 mi·2 min·West Lincoln Avenue
18
Turn right onto IL 130
1.6 mi·2 min·18th Street
19
Continue on IL 130
0.8 mi·1 min·Illinois Route 130
20
Continue on IL 130
10.0 mi·14 min·Route 130
21
Continue on IL 130
2.0 mi·2 min·County Road 1825 East
22
Continue on IL 130
0.8 mi·1 min·County Road 1775 E
23
Continue on IL 130
0.4 mi·32 sec·North Haughton Highway
24
Continue on IL 130
1.3 mi·1 min·1700E
25
Continue on IL 130
4.0 mi·5 min·North Haughton Highway
26
Continue on IL 130
2.1 mi·3 min·County Road 1700E
27
Continue on IL 130
13 mi·19 min·North 1250th Street
28
Turn left onto IL 130
11 mi·15 min·South Van Buren Street
29
Continue on IL 130
6.7 mi·9 min·County Road 1100 East
30
Continue on IL 130
1.3 mi·2 min·North West Street
31
Turn left onto West Butler Street
0.5 mi·1 min·West Butler Street
32
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
0.1 mi·19 sec·North Walnut Street
33
Arrive at destination
South Walnut Street
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 142.3 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 2h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 168.9 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 63 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142.3 miles or 2h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Olney, 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 284.6 miles and 5h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 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.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 168.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 142.3 mi from Waukegan, IL
· 2h 49m into the drive
The midpoint is around 142.3 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Olney, IL
The final approach into Olney, 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 Olney, IL.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
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
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...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 49.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.49 one way
$88.99 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg100 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$48.85
$97.71
premium
$4.89
$54.77
$109.54
diesel
$5.61
$62.84
$125.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 99.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.4
1
$29.88
$13.66
Efficient EV
71.2
0
$24.90
$11.38
EV Truck/SUV
113.8
1
$39.84
$18.21
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Waukegan, IL
Morning
in Waukegan on Saturday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Sunny
WNW 15 to 20 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Olney, IL
Morning
in Olney on Saturday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
25 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
5h 50m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Olney, IL covers 284.6 miles and takes about 5h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 57, Edens Expressway, North 1250th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 142.3 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 $44.49 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 284.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.1 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (US 41 / North Skokie Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.2 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Waukegan, IL to Olney, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
