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Trip from Waukegan, IL to Rosiclare, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

7h 57m

Distance

400.7 mi

645 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$63

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
7h 49m ★
6 AM
7h 58m
8 AM
8h 15m
10 AM
8h 4m
12 PM
8h 2m
3 PM
8h 5m
5 PM
8h 14m
8 PM
7h 53m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Hardin County, Illinois, United States

Rosiclare, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Waukegan, IL to Rosiclare, IL covers 400.7 miles and takes about 7h 57m 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 $62.64 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

200.4 miles from Waukegan, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 58m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 57m. Total distance: 400.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 57m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 7h 57m drive with frequent turns across 400.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 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 4/10

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 7h 57m, 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 Rosiclare, 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 Rosiclare, 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 right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

201 mi · 3 hr 40 min · I 57 South: Memphis
14

Keep slight left to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · I 57 South: Memphis
15

Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway

20 mi · 21 min · Ken Gray Expressway
16

Take the exit slight right toward IL 14: Christopher, Benton

0.4 mi · 50 sec · IL 14: Christopher, Benton
17

Turn left onto West Main Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
18

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Public Square

377 ft · 8 sec · Public Square
19

Exit the rotary onto East Main Street

32 mi · 47 min · East Main Street
20

Turn left

0.6 mi · 51 sec
21

Turn right onto North Commercial Street

1.2 mi · 1 min · North Commercial Street
22

Turn left onto Highway 145

5.9 mi · 9 min · Highway 145
23

Turn left

17 mi · 24 min
24

Turn left onto Il 146

3.5 mi · 4 min · Il 146
25

Continue straight

2.1 mi · 3 min
26

Turn left onto Hopkinton Street

23 ft · 1 sec · Hopkinton Street
27

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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 200.4 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 3h 58m 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 88 miles or 1h 44m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 200.4 miles or 3h 58m 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 46m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rosiclare, 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 400.7 miles and 7h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 88 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 200.4 mi from Waukegan, IL · 3h 58m into the drive

city in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mattoon, IL

200 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

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 88 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mattoon, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 200.4 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Rosiclare, IL

The final approach into Rosiclare, 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 Rosiclare, 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

$62.64 one way

$125.29 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 140 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $68.78 $137.56
premium $4.89 $77.11 $154.22
diesel $5.61 $88.47 $176.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$63

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$88–$113

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 140.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 120.2 1 $42.07 $19.23
Efficient EV 100.2 1 $35.06 $16.03
EV Truck/SUV 160.3 2 $56.10 $25.64

Gas CO2

140 kg

EV CO2

47 kg (66% 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

Afternoon in Waukegan on Friday

Local time

12:01 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Rosiclare, IL

Afternoon in Rosiclare on Friday

Local time

12:01 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°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

17 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

7h 57m 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 Rosiclare, IL covers 400.7 miles and takes about 7h 57m 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 200.4 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 $62.64 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.

The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 57m, 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 Rosiclare, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Waukegan, IL to Rosiclare, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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