Origin
Milton, WA
Late night in Milton on Tuesday
Local time
3:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Milton, WA to Tacoma, WA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
8 mi
13 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Milton, WA
nicholas hatherly
Trip Overview
Milton, WA to Tacoma, WA is 8 miles and takes about 14m via I 5, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in Washington state. It's a quick drive, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment. Given its brevity, you won't need to worry about extensive planning or packing for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| 20th Street East | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Milton Way | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 705 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tacoma Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 15th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 54th Avenue East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Maine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 2.7 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Milton, WA and Tacoma, WA.
1
Start on this road
43 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Maine Street
467 ft
·
16 sec
·
Maine Street
3
Turn slight left onto Milton Way
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Milton Way
4
Turn right onto 20th Street East
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
20th Street East
5
Turn right onto 54th Avenue East
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
54th Avenue East
6
Take the ramp
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma
7
Merge onto I 5
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
9
Keep slight right at fork
334 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 705
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 705
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward A Street, City Center
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
14
Continue on South 15th Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tacoma Avenue South
16
Turn right onto South 11th Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 11th Street
17
Arrive at destination
South 11th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 6.1 and 7.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Ta...
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome St...
7
6.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 705 North: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 705 North: City Center
8
7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward A Street, City Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward A Street, City Center
9
7.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.67 one way
$3.35 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $1.76 | $3.51 |
| premium | $5.77 | $1.82 | $3.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.77 | $3.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.84 | $0.38 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.70 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Tuesday
Local time
3:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
14m 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?
This 8-mile trip is a mixed drive, with about 37% of it on the interstate. You'll spend roughly 2.7 miles on I 5, which is the longest continuous stretch on the highway. After leaving the interstate, expect a more local feel on roads like 20th Street East and Milton Way, likely with more frequent intersections and slower speeds as you approach your destination.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.7 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between Milton, WA and Tacoma, WA, road signs point toward Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Dome Station and City Center.
Tacoma Dome
6.1 mi in
|
~10m
Tacoma Dome Station
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
City Center
7 mi in
|
~11m
About the Cities
Arriving in Tacoma, WA
Full guide →Tacoma, a major port on the Puget Sound, is the third-largest city in Washington State, with about 220,000 residents. It has a dynamic art scene and a great ballet.
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 14m. Total distance: 8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). 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 2.7 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 Tacoma, 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 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.3 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 Tacoma, 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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