The drive from West Allis, WI to Lowville, WI covers 86.4 miles and takes about 1h 41m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East-West Freeway, US Highway 51, I 94 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.8 miles on East-West Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.51 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
43.2 miles from West Allis, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 41m. Total distance: 86.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 41m highway drive covering 86.4 miles, with most of the trip on East-West Freeway and US Highway 51. The longest continuous stretch is about 63.8 miles on East-West Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East-West Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 63.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East-West Freeway and US Highway 51. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 86.4 miles you will encounter 15 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 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
1.6 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94: Madison, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 94: Madison, Milwaukee
9
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B-A
Toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
8
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Madison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 1B
Toward I 94 West: Madison
9
66.4 mi into trip|~1h 15m in|I 94
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 240
Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wiscon...
8
72 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Forest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Fores...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between West Allis, WI and Lowville, WI, road signs point toward Eau Claire and De Forest.
Eau Claire
66.4 mi in|~1h 15m|via I 94
De Forest
72 mi in|~1h 21m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East-West Freeway
63.8 mi
1h 9m
US Highway 51
10.3 mi
14m
I 94
5.6 mi
5m
State Highway 22
3.5 mi
4m
West Greenfield Avenue
1.4 mi
3m
County Road CS
<0.1 mi
<1m
Zoo Freeway
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East-West Freeway
— 63.8 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Allis, WI and Lowville, WI.
1
Start on WI 59
1.4 mi·3 min·West Greenfield Avenue
Use the left lane.
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward I 894 West, US 45 North
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 94: Madison, MilwaukeeUse the slight left lane.
4
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
19 ft·0 sec·Zoo Freeway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·16 sec
Exit 1B-AToward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, MilwaukeeUse the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·56 sec
Exit 1BToward I 94 West: MadisonUse the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·11 sec
Toward I 94 West: Madison
8
Merge onto I 94
10 mi·11 min·East-West Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
54 mi·57 min·East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
5.6 mi·5 min·I 94
Exit 240Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau ClaireUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 132Toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De ForestUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward US-51 NORTH: DeForestUse the left / right lanes.
13
Merge onto US 51; CTH CV
10 mi·14 min·US Highway 51
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto WI 22
115 ft·1 sec·State Highway 22
15
Continue on WI 22
3.5 mi·4 min·State Highway 22
16
Turn right onto CTH CS
248 ft·6 sec·County Road CS
17
Arrive at destination
CTH CS
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 43.2 miles from West Allis, WI, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.8 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 19 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.2 miles or 50m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lowville, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Allis, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from West Allis, WI
This is one driving day of about 86.4 miles and 1h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from West Allis, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on East-West Freeway for about 63.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.2 mi from West Allis, WI
· 50m into the drive
The midpoint is around 43.2 miles from West Allis, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before East-West Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.8 miles.
Arriving in Lowville, WI
The final approach into Lowville, WI 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.51 one way
$27.02 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$14.83
$29.66
premium
$4.89
$16.63
$33.25
diesel
$5.61
$19.08
$38.15
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.9
0
$9.07
$4.15
Efficient EV
21.6
0
$7.56
$3.46
EV Truck/SUV
34.6
0
$12.10
$5.53
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (67% 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 18, 2026
Origin
West Allis, WI
Late night
in West Allis on Saturday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Chance Rain Showers
W 15 mph44% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued April 18 at 12:10AM CDT until April 19 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 11:18PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Lowville, WI
Late night
in Lowville on Saturday
Local time
5:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Farmington, WI
43 mi in
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
4 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
1h 41m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from West Allis, WI to Lowville, WI covers 86.4 miles and takes about 1h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East-West Freeway, US Highway 51, I 94. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.2 miles from West Allis, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.51 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 86.4 miles you will encounter 15 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 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between West Allis, WI and Lowville, WI, road signs point toward Eau Claire and De Forest.
