Origin
Kenmore, WA
Night in Kenmore on Saturday
Local time
9:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kenmore, 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
24m
Distance
14.1 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kenmore, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 14.1-mile drive from Kenmore, WA, to Seattle, WA, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking about 24 minutes to complete. With a low estimated fuel cost of $3, it's an economical option for getting between these two Pacific Coast communities. The route primarily utilizes I-5, Bothell Way Northeast, and Northeast 145th Street, offering a mixed driving experience. Since there are no recommended stops and the journey is so brief, you have plenty of flexibility to depart at your convenience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| Bothell Way Northeast | 2 mi | 4m |
| Northeast 145th Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Bothell Way | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Union Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 8.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kenmore, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on WA 522
81 ft
·
10 sec
·
Northeast Bothell Way
2
Continue on WA 522
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Bothell Way
Use the left / uturn lanes.
3
Continue on WA 522
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Bothell Way Northeast
4
Turn right onto WA 523
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast 145th Street
Use the right lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto 5th Avenue Northeast
135 ft
·
3 sec
·
5th Avenue Northeast
6
Continue on 5th Avenue Northeast
71 ft
·
2 sec
·
5th Avenue Northeast
7
Continue on WA 523
391 ft
·
9 sec
·
Northeast 145th Street
8
Enter roundabout
223 ft
·
4 sec
Toward I 5 South
9
Continue
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 5 South
10
Merge onto I 5
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 165B
Toward Union Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on Union Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Union Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
15
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 13.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
WA 523 / Northeast 145th Street
Turn right onto WA 523 / Northeast 145th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Enter roundabout toward I 5 South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 5 South
5
5.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Union Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 165B
Toward Union Street
7
13.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.90 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $3.09 | $6.19 |
| premium | $5.77 | $3.20 | $6.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.11 | $6.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
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
Seattle, WA
Night in Seattle on Saturday
Local time
9:17 PM
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
9 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
24m 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 mixed drive on this route, with 58% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 8.3 miles on I-5, providing a taste of faster-paced travel. As you transition from highway driving, the roads will shift, incorporating local streets like Bothell Way Northeast and Northeast 145th Street. This blend means you'll experience both efficient interstate cruising and more typical urban road conditions as you approach your destination.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in near WA 523 / Northeast 145th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 14.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 3.3 miles (WA 523 / Northeast 145th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5.3 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Kenmore, WA
Full guide →Bothell is a city of around 33,000 on the Sammamish River, (mostly) in King County of Washington State. It's about 15 miles northeast of downtown Seattle, near Woodinville. This article also includes the commuter community of Kenmore, to the west of Bothell at the northern tip of Lake Washington.
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 24m. Total distance: 14.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.3 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: at 3.3 miles (WA 523 / Northeast 145th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5.3 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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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