Origin
Brier, WA
Late night in Brier on Sunday
Local time
12:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brier, WA to Tacoma, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
49.1 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brier, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Brier to Tacoma, expect a straightforward 49.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it connects two points within Washington’s Pacific Coast region. You should budget approximately $10 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating this path involves transitioning from local streets like Brier Road and Northeast 205th Street onto the primary artery of I-5. Because the drive is relatively short, you won't need to worry about overnight logistics or complex planning. It is a functional, highway-focused connection that gets you between these two cities efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 43.2 mi | 54m |
| Northeast 205th Street - 244th Street Southwest | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Brier Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Northeast 201st Place | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I 705 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tacoma Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 15th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Northeast 197th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 43.2 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brier, WA and Tacoma, WA.
1
Start on Brier Road
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
Brier Road
2
Continue on 55th Avenue Northeast
466 ft
·
14 sec
·
55th Avenue Northeast
3
Turn right onto Northeast 204th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Northeast 204th Street
4
Continue on 47th Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
47th Avenue Northeast
5
Turn right onto Northeast 201st Place
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Northeast 201st Place
6
Continue on Northeast 197th Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Northeast 197th Street
7
Turn straight onto 40th Place Northeast
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
40th Place Northeast
8
Continue on 37th Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
37th Avenue Northeast
9
Turn left onto Northeast 205th Street - 244th Street Southwest
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast 205th Street - 244th Street Southwest
10
Turn right onto WA 104
261 ft
·
5 sec
·
Northeast 205th Street - Lake Ballinger Way
11
Continue on WA 104
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Northeast 205th Street - Lake Ballinger Way
12
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
13
Merge onto I 5
43 mi
·
54 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
15
Keep slight right at fork
334 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 705
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 705
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward A Street, City Center
Use the slight left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
20
Continue on South 15th Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
21
Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tacoma Avenue South
22
Turn right onto South 11th Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 11th Street
23
Arrive at destination
South 11th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Brier, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 47.1 and 48.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
47.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Ta...
7
47.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome St...
7
47.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 705 North: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 705 North: City Center
8
48 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward A Street, City Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward A Street, City Center
9
48.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.28 one way
$20.55 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $10.78 | $21.55 |
| premium | $5.77 | $11.15 | $22.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.84 | $21.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Sunday
Local time
12:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
4 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 8m 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 trip is defined by its heavy reliance on I-5, which accounts for 89% of your total travel time. You will spend the vast majority of your time on a 43.2-mile stretch of interstate, making this a classic highway-focused drive rather than a winding backroads tour. After starting on local streets such as 244th Street Southwest, you will quickly merge into the steady flow of the freeway. The experience behind the wheel is consistent and predictable, lacking the technical turns of mountain passes or coastal bypasses. Expect a steady, high-speed pace once you clear the initial local surface streets.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.2 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Northeast 205th Street - 244th Street Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 47.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.1 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 47.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.2 miles on I 5. 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 Tacoma, WA 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 47.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tacoma, WA 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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