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Trip from Pacific, WA to Kent, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

13m

Distance

8.9 mi

14 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 13m ★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 14m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Washington, United States of America

Pacific, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This quick 8.9-mile journey from Pacific, WA to Kent, WA is easily doable in about 13 minutes, making it perfect for a single-day trip. With a minimal fuel cost estimated at just $2, this route is incredibly budget-friendly. The drive is primarily highway-focused, with 76% of it utilizing main roads like Valley Freeway and Milwaukee Boulevard South. You'll spend most of your time on the freeway, experiencing a smooth and efficient transition between these two Pacific Coast locations. Given its short distance, no overnight stays are necessary, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Valley Freeway 6.7 mi 8m
Milwaukee Boulevard South 0.5 mi 1m
Ellingson Road 0.4 mi <1m
West Willis Street 0.2 mi <1m
4th Avenue South 0.2 mi <1m
West Gowe Street 0.1 mi <1m
3rd Avenue Southeast <0.1 mi <1m
2nd Avenue South <0.1 mi

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Valley Freeway — 6.7 mi, about 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pacific, WA and Kent, WA.

1

Start on 3rd Avenue Southeast

30 ft · 5 sec · 3rd Avenue Southeast
2

Turn right onto Milwaukee Boulevard South

0.5 mi · 1 min · Milwaukee Boulevard South
3

Turn left onto Ellingson Road

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Ellingson Road
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Seattle
5

Merge onto WA 167

6.7 mi · 8 min · Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Turn right onto WA 516

0.2 mi · 30 sec · West Willis Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8

Enter roundabout onto 4th Avenue South

238 ft · 5 sec · 4th Avenue South
9

Continue on 4th Avenue South

0.2 mi · 31 sec · 4th Avenue South
10

Turn right onto West Gowe Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · West Gowe Street
11

Turn left onto 2nd Avenue South

10 ft · 0 sec · 2nd Avenue South
12

Arrive at destination

2nd Avenue South

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Milwaukee Boulevard South

Turn right onto Milwaukee Boulevard South

Navigation decision point

5
1.3 mi into trip | ~3m in | WA 167 / Valley Freeway

Merge onto WA 167 / Valley Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis 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. Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
6
8.3 mi into trip | ~12m in | WA 516 / West Willis Street

Turn right onto WA 516 / West Willis Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
8.5 mi into trip | ~12m in | 4th Avenue South

Enter roundabout onto 4th Avenue South

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.86 one way

$3.73 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $1.95 $3.91
premium $5.77 $2.02 $4.04
diesel $5.61 $1.97 $3.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 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 2.7 0 $0.93 $0.43
Efficient EV 2.2 0 $0.78 $0.36
EV Truck/SUV 3.6 0 $1.25 $0.57

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Pacific, WA

Night in Pacific on Saturday

Local time

11:00 PM

PDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kent, WA

Night in Kent on Saturday

Local time

11:00 PM

PDT

Current temp

47°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

19 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

13m 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 drive, with 76% of the route utilizing major roadways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be approximately 6.7 miles on the Valley Freeway, offering a consistent pace. The drive begins on local roads before transitioning to the faster pace of the freeway system, including Milwaukee Boulevard South and Ellingson Road. While largely a freeway experience, you'll notice the shift in environment as you move between these efficient thoroughfares, designed for steady travel.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.7 mi on Valley Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and Milwaukee Boulevard South. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Milwaukee Boulevard South.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 8.9 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Milwaukee Boulevard South): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (WA 167 / Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

About the Cities

Arriving in Kent, WA

Full guide →

Kent is the fourth largest city in King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, between Seattle and Tacoma.

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 13m. Total distance: 8.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 6.7 miles on Valley Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: near the start (Milwaukee Boulevard South): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (WA 167 / Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Kent, 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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