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Trip from Waukegan, IL to Frankfort Square, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 37m

Distance

70.7 mi

114 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 30m ★
6 AM
1h 37m
8 AM
1h 52m
10 AM
1h 42m
12 PM
1h 41m
3 PM
1h 43m
5 PM
1h 51m
8 PM
1h 33m

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 Frankfort Square, IL, IL

Frankfort Square, IL

Quang Vuong

Trip Overview

The drive from Waukegan, IL to Frankfort Square, IL covers 70.7 miles and takes about 1h 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Edens Expressway, I 57, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.05 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.

Midpoint

35.3 miles from Waukegan, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 47m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 37m. Total distance: 70.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 37m highway drive covering 70.7 miles, with most of the trip on Edens Expressway and I 57. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Edens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Edens Expressway and I 57. 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.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 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 14 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.
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
7
64.4 mi into trip | ~1h 27m in

Take the exit toward I 80 West: Iowa

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 345B Toward I 80 West: Iowa
7
67.5 mi into trip | ~1h 30m in

Take the exit toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue

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

Use the right lane. Exit 148A Toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Edens Expressway 13.7 mi 17m
I 57 13.4 mi 18m
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
Skokie Valley Road 3.4 mi 3m
South Lewis Avenue 2.9 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Edens Expressway — 13.7 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Frankfort Square, 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 Express Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

13 mi · 18 min · I 57
Exit 63 Toward I 57 South: Memphis Use the slight right lane.
14

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 45 sec
Exit 345B Toward I 80 West: Iowa Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto I 80

2.6 mi · 3 min · I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 148A Toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue Use the right lane.
17

Turn straight onto IL 43

2.1 mi · 3 min · Harlem Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Turn right onto West Saint Francis Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Saint Francis Road
19

Turn left onto Frankfort Square Road

0.1 mi · 28 sec · Frankfort Square Road
20

Turn right onto Jamison Drive

509 ft · 22 sec · Jamison Drive
21

Arrive at destination

Jamison Drive

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 35.3 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.7 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 16 miles or 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 35.3 miles or 47m 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 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Frankfort Square, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Waukegan, IL

This is one driving day of about 70.7 miles and 1h 37m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Waukegan, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Edens Expressway for about 13.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 35.3 mi from Waukegan, IL · 47m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; suburb of Chicago, Illinois

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Oak Park, IL

35 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

Glenview, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chicago, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.3 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Frankfort Square, IL

The final approach into Frankfort Square, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 51.2
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

$11.05 one way

$22.11 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $12.14 $24.27
premium $4.89 $13.61 $27.21
diesel $5.61 $15.61 $31.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.2 0 $7.42 $3.39
Efficient EV 17.7 0 $6.19 $2.83
EV Truck/SUV 28.3 0 $9.90 $4.52

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Afternoon in Waukegan on Thursday

Local time

1:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frankfort Square, IL

Afternoon in Frankfort Square on Thursday

Local time

1:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

12 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 37m 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 Frankfort Square, IL covers 70.7 miles and takes about 1h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Edens Expressway, I 57, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.3 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 $11.05 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 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.
The route from Waukegan, IL to Frankfort Square, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

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