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Trip from Frederickson, WA to Seattle, 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 1m

Distance

43.9 mi

71 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 57m ★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m

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

Downtown Frederickson, WA, WA

Frederickson, WA

Mykhailo Petrenko

city in and county seat of King County, State of Washington, United States

Seattle, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 43.9-mile drive from Frederickson to Seattle, Washington, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking just over an hour to complete. The route primarily utilizes major highways like I-5 and WA 512, making it a focused, efficient journey. With an estimated fuel cost of around $9, this drive offers a budget-friendly way to connect two points within the Pacific Coast region. Its highway-centric profile means you'll spend most of your time on faster-paced roads, ideal for getting from point A to point B without much fuss. This is a practical option for a quick transition between locations in Washington.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 15.8 mi 19m
Valley Freeway 13 mi 16m
WA 512 5.5 mi 6m
Canyon Road East 4.2 mi 7m
South Kent Des Moines Road 2.6 mi 3m
West Willis Street 0.2 mi <1m
5th Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
176th Street East 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 15.8 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Frederickson, WA and Seattle, WA.

1

Start on this road

227 ft · 18 sec · this road
2

Turn right

104 ft · 9 sec
3

Turn sharp right

461 ft · 37 sec
4

Turn right onto 176th Street East

0.1 mi · 12 sec · 176th Street East
5

Turn left onto Canyon Road East

4.2 mi · 7 min · Canyon Road East
Use the left / uturn lanes.
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 45 sec
Toward WA 512 East: Puyallup
7

Merge onto WA 512

5.5 mi · 6 min · WA 512
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Merge onto WA 167

13 mi · 16 min · Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn left onto WA 516

0.2 mi · 34 sec · West Willis Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12

Continue on WA 516

2.6 mi · 3 min · South Kent Des Moines Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 18 sec
14

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 49 sec · this road
15

Merge onto I 5

16 mi · 19 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 165 Toward Seneca Street Use the slight left lane.
17

Turn left onto Seneca Street

323 ft · 18 sec · Seneca Street
18

Turn left onto 5th Avenue

0.1 mi · 27 sec · 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
19

Turn right onto Madison Street

113 ft · 9 sec · Madison Street
20

Turn left

31 ft · 2 sec
21

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Kent, WA

22 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

Puyallup, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Auburn, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22 miles from Frederickson, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 43.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

8
10.3 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yaki...
7
24 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
7
43.5 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward Seneca Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 165 Toward Seneca Street
7
43.8 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in | 5th Avenue

Turn left onto 5th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.19 one way

$18.38 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $9.64 $19.27
premium $5.77 $9.97 $19.94
diesel $5.61 $9.69 $19.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.2 0 $4.61 $2.11
Efficient EV 11 0 $3.84 $1.76
EV Truck/SUV 17.6 0 $6.15 $2.81

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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 15, 2026

Origin

Frederickson, WA

Morning in Frederickson on Sunday

Local time

10:26 AM

PDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Seattle, WA

Morning in Seattle on Sunday

Local time

10:26 AM

PDT

Current temp

49°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

3 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 1m 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?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 43.9-mile route, with 78% of the drive taking place on major roadways. You'll navigate stretches of I-5 and Valley Freeway, including a continuous 15.8-mile segment on I-5 where you can maintain a steady speed. The character of the drive is defined by its efficiency and directness, rather than winding scenic byways. While the bulk of the journey is on high-speed freeways, be prepared for the typical traffic flow associated with the approach to a major metropolitan area like Seattle.

78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.8 mi on I 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Valley Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.9 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Frederickson, WA to Seattle, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.

Yakima

10.3 mi in | ~16m

About the Cities

Arriving in Seattle, WA

Full guide →

Seattle, Washington sits at one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. Occupying a narrow isthmus between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it is the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest, with 780,000 people in Seattle and over four million people in the metro area. Seen from above, carpets of evergreen trees, pristine blue waters, and snowy white mountains surround the downtown's metallic skyscrapers, earning the city its nickname The Emerald City. On the ground, you will find a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Next to the progressive downtown and the freewheeling feel of Capitol Hill, you can find a laid-back atmosphere in the districts to the north and ethnically diverse neighborhoods to the south.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 43.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.8 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 Seattle, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Seattle, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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