Trip from Waukegan, IL to Carrier Mills, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

7h 17m

Distance

377.6 mi

608 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$59

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min

4 AM

7h 6m ★

6 AM

7h 17m

8 AM

7h 38m

10 AM

7h 25m

12 PM

7h 22m

3 PM

7h 26m

5 PM

7h 37m

8 PM

7h 11m

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 Waukegan, IL to Carrier Mills, IL covers 377.6 miles and takes about 7h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, West Deyoung Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 266.5 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $59.03 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

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

188.8 miles from Waukegan, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 40m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 7h 17m highway drive covering 377.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 266.5 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 24 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 266.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in near IL 137 / Buckley Road.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 377.6 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 4.1 miles (IL 137 / Buckley Road): 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; at 51 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

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.

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

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

251.8 mi into trip | ~4h 49m in | I 57

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 South: Memphis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 57 South: Memphis

355.3 mi into trip | ~6h 41m in

Keep slight left at fork toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale

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 Carrier Mills, IL, road signs point toward Marion and Carbondale.

Marion

354.9 mi in | ~6h 40m

Carbondale

354.9 mi in | ~6h 40m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 57	266.5 mi	4h 51m
Ken Gray Expressway	37.4 mi	40m
West Deyoung Street	18.2 mi	25m
Edens Expressway	13.7 mi	17m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)	8.8 mi	11m
Kennedy Expressway	8.1 mi	11m
North Skokie Highway	5.6 mi	6m
Skokie Highway	3.8 mi	4m

Longest stretch: I 57 — 266.5 mi, about 4h 51m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on North Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Jackson Street

Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

Turn right onto Belvidere Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Belvidere Street

Turn left onto South Lewis Avenue

2.9 mi · 5 min · South Lewis Avenue

Turn right onto IL 137

1.1 mi · 1 min · Buckley Road

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto US 41

5.6 mi · 6 min · North Skokie Highway

Use the left lane.

Continue on US 41

3.4 mi · 3 min · Skokie Valley Road

Continue on US 41

3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 94; US 41

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Continue on I 90; I 94

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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 Express Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

201 mi · 3 hr 40 min · I 57

Exit 63 Toward I 57 South: Memphis Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · I 57

Toward I 57 South: Memphis

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

37 mi · 40 min · Ken Gray Expressway

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 59 sec

Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Merge onto IL 13

18 mi · 25 min · West Deyoung Street

Turn right onto Carrier Mills Road

2.4 mi · 5 min · Carrier Mills Road

Continue on North Mill Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · North Mill Street

Turn left onto West Walnut Street

456 ft · 22 sec · West Walnut Street

Turn right onto Main Street

244 ft · 10 sec · Main Street

Arrive at destination

Main Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 188.8 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 3h 40m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 266.5 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 83 miles or 1h 44m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 188.8 miles or 3h 40m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carrier Mills, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Waukegan, IL

This is one driving day of about 377.6 miles and 7h 17m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 83 miles from Waukegan, IL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 266.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 188.8 mi from Waukegan, IL · 3h 40m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Champaign, IL

189 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

Orland Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 83 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Champaign, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 188.8 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 266.5 miles.

Arriving in Carrier Mills, IL

The final approach into Carrier Mills, 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 Carrier Mills, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$59.03 one way

$118.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 132 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$64.82	$129.63
premium	$4.89	$72.67	$145.33
diesel	$5.61	$83.37	$166.74

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$59

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$84–$109

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 132.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	113.3	1	$39.65	$18.12
Efficient EV	94.4	1	$33.04	$15.10
EV Truck/SUV	151	1	$52.86	$24.17

Gas CO2

132 kg

EV CO2

44 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 15, 2026

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Night in Waukegan on Wednesday

Local time

11:00 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Carrier Mills, IL

Night in Carrier Mills on Wednesday

Local time

11:00 PM

CDT

Current temp

56°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

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

7h 17m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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 Carrier Mills, IL covers 377.6 miles and takes about 7h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, West Deyoung 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 188.8 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 $59.03 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Between Waukegan, IL and Carrier Mills, IL, road signs point toward Marion and Carbondale.

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