Origin
Waukegan, IL
Afternoon in Waukegan on Thursday
Local time
12:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Richwoods, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
6h 23m
Distance
273.6 mi
440 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 11m
★
6 AM
6h 23m
8 AM
6h 48m
10 AM
6h 32m
12 PM
6h 29m
3 PM
6h 33m
5 PM
6h 47m
8 PM
6h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richwoods, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Richwoods, IL covers 273.6 miles and takes about 6h 23m 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, South Lewis Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.77 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
136.8 miles from Waukegan, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 11m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 23m. Total distance: 273.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 23m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 23m drive with frequent turns across 273.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 46 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Waukegan, IL to Richwoods, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Glen Rock Avenue | — | — |
| Belvidere Street | — | — |
| South Lewis Avenue | — | — |
| Buckley Road | — | — |
| North Skokie Highway | — | — |
| Skokie Valley Road | — | — |
| Skokie Highway | — | — |
| Edens 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 Richwoods, 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
·
34 sec
·
Belvidere Street
4
Turn left onto South Lewis Avenue
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
South Lewis Avenue
5
Turn right onto Buckley Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Buckley Road
6
Turn left onto North Skokie Highway
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Skokie Highway
7
Continue on Skokie Valley Road
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
8
Continue on Skokie Highway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
9
Continue on Edens Expressway
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
10
Continue on Kennedy Expressway
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
11
Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
12
Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
13
Keep slight left to continue on Bishop Ford Freeway
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Bishop Ford Freeway
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East, I 94 East: Indiana
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80 East, I 94 East: Indiana
15
Keep slight right to continue on US 6 West, IL 83: Torrence Avenue
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
US 6 West, IL 83: Torrence Avenue
16
Keep slight left to continue on US 6 West, IL 83 West: Torrence Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 6 West, IL 83 West: Torrence Avenue
17
Keep slight right to continue on IL 83 South
502 ft
·
12 sec
·
IL 83 South
18
Turn straight onto Torrence Avenue
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Torrence Avenue
19
Turn left onto Glenwood Dyer Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Glenwood Dyer Road
20
Continue on Lincoln Highway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
21
Continue on Joliet Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Joliet Street
22
Continue on West Lincoln Highway
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Lincoln Highway
23
Turn right onto Wicker Avenue
59 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
Wicker Avenue
24
Keep slight left
22 mi
·
26 min
25
Continue straight
59 mi
·
1 hr 15 min
26
Turn right
0.3 mi
·
1 min
27
Continue on Pennington Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennington Road
28
Turn left onto US 150
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
US 150
29
Continue on N 3rd Street
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
N 3rd Street
30
Turn right onto West National Avenue
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
West National Avenue
31
Take the ramp straight
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
32
Merge slight left onto Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
9.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
33
Take the exit slight right toward IL 1: Marshall, Paris
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
IL 1: Marshall, Paris
34
Turn left
29 mi
·
44 min
35
Turn left onto East 1050th Ave
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East 1050th Ave
36
Continue on North Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Washington Street
37
Continue on West Washington Street
322 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Washington Street
38
Continue on West Franklin Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Franklin Street
39
Turn right onto North Jackson Street
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
North Jackson Street
40
Turn left onto East 700th Avenue
1.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East 700th Avenue
41
At the end of the road, turn left onto North 2000th Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
North 2000th Street
42
Turn right onto East 720th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
3 min
·
East 720th Avenue
43
Continue on East 675th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 675th Avenue
44
Turn left onto North 2100th Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
North 2100th Street
45
Turn right onto East 700th Avenue
157 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 700th Avenue
46
Arrive at your destination
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 136.8 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 3h 11m 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 60 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.8 miles or 3h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richwoods, 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 273.6 miles and 6h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 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 136.8 mi from Waukegan, IL · 3h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
137 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 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 136.8 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Richwoods, IL
The final approach into Richwoods, 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 Richwoods, 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
$42.77 one way
$85.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
96 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $46.96 | $93.93 |
| premium | $4.89 | $52.65 | $105.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $60.41 | $120.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 82.1 | 1 | $28.73 | $13.13 |
| Efficient EV | 68.4 | 0 | $23.94 | $10.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 109.4 | 1 | $38.30 | $17.51 |
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 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.
Destination
Richwoods, IL
Afternoon in Richwoods on Thursday
Local time
12:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°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
8 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
6h 23m 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 Richwoods, IL covers 273.6 miles and takes about 6h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Glen Rock Avenue, Belvidere Street, South Lewis Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 136.8 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 $42.77 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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Waukegan, IL to Richwoods, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Waukegan, IL to Richwoods, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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