Origin
Kirkland, WA
Night in Kirkland on Monday
Local time
10:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Pacific, WA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Pacific, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Pacific, WA covers 32.2 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 405, Valley Freeway, 7th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.7 miles on I 405. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.78 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 14.7 mi | 18m |
| Valley Freeway | 13.7 mi | 17m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Milwaukee Boulevard North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Ellingson Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 14.7 mi, about 18m
Traffic on I-405
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,551 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~437 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Pacific, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
399 ft
·
16 sec
·
1st Street
2
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
7th Avenue
3
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
7th Avenue
4
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
7th Avenue
5
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft
·
14 sec
·
6th Street
6
Turn left onto Northeast 85th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 85th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 405 South: Renton
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 405
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto WA 167
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward Ellingson Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Ellingson Road
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Ellingson Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto Milwaukee Boulevard North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Milwaukee Boulevard North
15
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue Southeast
30 ft
·
0 sec
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
16
Arrive at destination
3rd Avenue Southeast
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 31.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
7th Avenue
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
16.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South
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 2
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue Sou...
7
16.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
6
30.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Ellingson Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Ellingson Road
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Ellingson Road
Turn left onto Ellingson Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.78 one way
$13.56 round trip
$5.35/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.56 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
| premium | $5.76 | $7.30 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $7.10 | $14.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Pacific, WA
Night in Pacific on Monday
Local time
10:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
75°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
44m 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?
32.2 mi in 44m, mostly highway — 14.7 mi of that is on I 405.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.7 mi on I 405.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and Valley Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 32.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
410 ft
28 ft
Total Climb
418 ft
Total Descent
505 ft
Highest Point
410 ft
~2.3 mi in
Elevation Range
382 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Kirkland, WA to Pacific, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Rainier Avenue South along the way.
Rainier Avenue South
16.2 mi in
|
~22m
About the Cities
Starting in Kirkland, WA
Full guide →Founded 1888
Kirkland is a charming city of 93,000 (2019) in King County, Washington, across from Seattle on the east side of Lake Washington.
Top landmarks
- • Dr. Trueblood House — private residence in Kirkland, Washington
Arriving in Pacific, WA
Full guide →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 44m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.7 miles on I 405. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Pacific, 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 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Pacific, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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