Origin
Lakewood, WA
Late night in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
5:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, WA to Federal Way, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
20.1 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling the 20 miles between Lakewood and Federal Way is a straightforward local transit that typically takes about 32 minutes. Because this is a short, efficient trip within the Pacific Coast region, you only need one day to complete the journey. Budgeting approximately $4 for fuel makes this an incredibly cost-effective excursion. You will navigate entirely via local roads rather than interstate highways, which keeps the experience grounded in the community. Since there are no required stops along the way, it serves as a quick, functional link between these two Washington locations. This route is ideal for those who prefer avoiding high-speed traffic in favor of a more direct, ground-level commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 15.4 mi | 19m |
| 100th Street Southwest | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| South 320th Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Bridgeport Way Southwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pacific Highway South | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| WA 512 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Tacoma Way | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South 312th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 15.4 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest
31 ft
·
9 sec
·
Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest
2
Turn sharp right onto Bridgeport Way Southwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Bridgeport Way Southwest
3
Turn slight left onto 100th Street Southwest
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
100th Street Southwest
4
Turn right onto South Tacoma Way
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
South Tacoma Way
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto WA 512
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
WA 512
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 5
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 143
Toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto South 320th Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South 320th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto WA 99
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Pacific Highway South
13
Turn right onto South 312th Street
158 ft
·
5 sec
·
South 312th Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 18.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South Tacoma Way
Turn right onto South Tacoma Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WA 512
Turn left onto WA 512
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 5 North
7
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 5 North
8
18.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Federal Way, South 320th 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.
Exit 143
Toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.21 one way
$8.41 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.41 | $8.82 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.56 | $9.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.44 | $8.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.81 | $1.29 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Federal Way, WA
Late night in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
5:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
SW 6 mph
2% chance
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
10 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
29m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features zero percent highway travel. You will navigate a series of surface streets, including Bridgeport Way Southwest, 100th Street Southwest, and South Tacoma Way. Because the longest stretch of road is essentially zero miles on Bridgeport Way Southwest, you should prepare for frequent adjustments and intersections. The personality of this drive is purely urban and functional, requiring your full attention as you transition between these local connectors. It lacks the long, uninterrupted stretches found on rural interstates, offering instead a rhythmic, stop-and-go experience through the local landscape.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.4 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and 100th Street Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near South Tacoma Way.
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 12 decision points packed into just 20.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (South Tacoma Way): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (WA 512): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Federal Way, WA
Full guide →Federal Way is a city in King County on the Puget Sound of Washington State. It is the home of the Pacific Bonsai Museum and Rhododendron Species Botanical Gardens. With a population of 96,000 (2016), Federal Way is one of Seattle's largest suburbs.
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 29m. Total distance: 20.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m 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 15.4 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 Federal Way, 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 1.8 miles (South Tacoma Way): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (WA 512): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Federal Way, 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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