Origin
Martha Lake, WA
Late night in Martha Lake on Sunday
Local time
12:52 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Martha Lake, 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
30m
Distance
20.3 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Martha Lake, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 20.3-mile drive from Martha Lake, WA, to Seattle, WA, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 30 minutes. The route is heavily highway-focused, with 84% of the journey on major interstates like I-5, making it a quick and straightforward trip. You'll spend a minimal $4 on fuel for this short hop between destinations within the Pacific Coast region. Given the short distance and duration, no overnight split is necessary, allowing for flexibility in your travel plans. This drive is designed for efficient travel, connecting two points within Washington state without extensive detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 16.1 mi | 20m |
| 164th Street Southwest | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Alderwood Mall Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Union Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| WA 525 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pitner Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Shore Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 16.1 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Martha Lake, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on Pitner Drive
427 ft
·
24 sec
·
Pitner Drive
2
Turn left onto East Shore Drive
357 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Shore Drive
3
Turn left
360 ft
·
17 sec
4
Turn right onto 164th Street Southwest
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
164th Street Southwest
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto Alderwood Mall Parkway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Alderwood Mall Parkway
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 5 South, I 405 South, WA 525 South
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto WA 525
519 ft
·
7 sec
·
WA 525
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward Seattle
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
491 ft
·
12 sec
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 5
16 mi
·
20 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / left 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 20 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
164th Street Southwest
Turn right onto 164th Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 South, I 405 South, WA 525 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5 South, I 405 South, WA 525 South
7
3.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
7
19.7 mi into trip
|
~28m 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
20 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.25 one way
$8.50 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.46 | $8.91 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.61 | $9.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.48 | $8.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 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 | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.84 | $1.30 |
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
Seattle, WA
Late night in Seattle on Sunday
Local time
12:52 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
30m 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 route, with a substantial 84% of the drive utilizing major roads like I-5. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 16.1 miles on I-5, offering a consistent pace. You'll transition from local roads like 164th Street Southwest and Alderwood Mall Parkway onto the interstate, which forms the backbone of this journey. The character of the drive is largely determined by the interstate's flow, making it a straightforward and predictable experience behind the wheel.
84% 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: 16.1 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and 164th Street Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 164th Street Southwest.
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 14 decision points packed into just 20.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (164th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 20.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.1 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 0.2 miles (164th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 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 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Seattle, WA
More trips to Seattle, WA
Explore more options from Martha Lake, WA or browse trips ending in Seattle, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.