Origin
Wauwatosa, WI
Afternoon in Wauwatosa on Saturday
Local time
3:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wauwatosa, WI to River Hills, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
14.4 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wauwatosa, WI
Wikimedia Commons
River Hills, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Wauwatosa to River Hills is 14.4 miles and takes about 27 minutes via North-South Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Wisconsin, making it a convenient local trip. You'll primarily be on freeway, so expect a quick transit between these two Midwest communities. It's a straightforward hop that doesn't require much planning, perfect for a quick errand or a brief scenic change.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North-South Freeway | 8.7 mi | 12m |
| West State Street | 3.2 mi | 8m |
| West Highland Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Brown Deer Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Spruce Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North 27th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Heather Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North-South Freeway
— 8.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wauwatosa, WI and River Hills, WI.
1
Start on West State Street
3.2 mi
·
8 min
·
West State Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto WI 57
269 ft
·
7 sec
·
North 27th Street
3
Turn right onto US 18; WI 57
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Highland Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 43 North
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 43
8.7 mi
·
12 min
·
North-South Freeway
Toward I 43 North: Green Bay
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 82A
Toward East Brown Deer Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
278 ft
·
9 sec
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto WI 100
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Brown Deer Road
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Turn left onto North Spruce Road
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Spruce Road
10
Turn left onto West Heather Lane
201 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Heather Lane
11
Arrive at destination
West Heather Lane
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 4.3 and 13.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward I 43 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 43 North
6
4.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 43 / North-South Freeway
Merge onto I 43 / North-South Freeway toward I 43 North: Green Bay
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 43 North: Green Bay
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward East Brown Deer Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 82A
Toward East Brown Deer Road
7
13.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
5
13.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
WI 100 / West Brown Deer Road
Turn left onto WI 100 / West Brown Deer Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.25 one way
$4.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.47 | $4.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.77 | $5.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.18 | $6.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| Efficient EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
River Hills, WI
Afternoon in River Hills on Saturday
Local time
3:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 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
27m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 61% of the route utilizing freeway. You'll experience an 8.7-mile stretch on the North-South Freeway before transitioning to surface roads like West State Street and West Highland Avenue. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate this predominantly high-speed environment.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on North-South Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North-South Freeway and West State Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 14.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (I 43 / North-South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 14.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on North-South Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at River Hills, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (I 43 / North-South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at River Hills, WI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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