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Trip from Parkland, WA to Renton, WA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

41m

Distance

31.4 mi

50 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 38m ★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m

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

census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States

Parkland, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 31.4-mile drive from Parkland, WA, to Renton, WA, is designed for a single day, taking about 41 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing the Valley Freeway and WA 512, you'll spend 93% of your time on highway roads, making it a quick and efficient trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $7, this route is an easy addition to your Pacific Coast travels within Washington. It's the kind of journey you can easily fit into a busy schedule without needing an overnight stay. Expect a focused drive with minimal fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Valley Freeway 20.1 mi 25m
WA 512 9.2 mi 11m
Rainier Avenue South 0.9 mi 2m
Pacific Avenue South 0.2 mi <1m
112th Street South <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Valley Freeway — 20.1 mi, about 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Parkland, WA and Renton, WA.

1

Start on 112th Street South

40 ft · 4 sec · 112th Street South
2

Turn right onto WA 7

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Pacific Avenue South
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward WA 512 East: Puyallup
4

Merge onto WA 512

9.2 mi · 11 min · WA 512
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Merge onto WA 167

20 mi · 25 min · Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on WA 167

0.9 mi · 2 min · Rainier Avenue South
Use the left lane.
8

Turn right

39 ft · 2 sec
9

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | WA 7 / Pacific Avenue South

Turn right onto WA 7 / Pacific Avenue South

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward WA 512 East: Puyallup

Navigation decision point

Toward WA 512 East: Puyallup
5
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | WA 512

Merge onto WA 512

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
9.7 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yaki...
5
10.3 mi into trip | ~14m 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.57 one way

$13.14 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $6.89 $13.78
premium $5.77 $7.13 $14.26
diesel $5.61 $6.93 $13.87

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.4 0 $3.30 $1.51
Efficient EV 7.9 0 $2.75 $1.26
EV Truck/SUV 12.6 0 $4.40 $2.01

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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Parkland, WA

Late night in Parkland on Tuesday

Local time

4:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Renton, WA

Late night in Renton on Tuesday

Local time

4:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

67°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

1 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

41m 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 highway-focused experience for the majority of this trip, with 93% of the drive on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 20.1 miles on the Valley Freeway. This route emphasizes efficient travel, meaning you'll experience mostly fast-paced driving. While the specific terrain isn't detailed, the profile suggests a consistent highway feel rather than a winding, scenic byway. You'll likely find yourself primarily on well-maintained freeways, making for a predictable journey behind the wheel.

93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.1 mi on Valley Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and WA 512. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WA 7 / Pacific Avenue 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 31.4 miles you will encounter 6 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 (WA 7 / Pacific Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (WA 512): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.

On the drive from Parkland, WA to Renton, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.

Yakima

9.7 mi in | ~12m

About the Cities

Arriving in Renton, WA

Full guide →

Renton is a city in King County, Washington south of Bellevue and north of Kent. It is a quiet suburb of Seattle at the base of Lake Washington. Renton is primarily known as the site of the Boeing 737 plant, where the popular commercial jetliner is built. Renton is also notable for being the resting place of rock legend Jimi Hendrix. Its relatively inexpensive property prices make it a solid choice of stay while visiting Seattle, and the downtown area has many quiet charms of its own.

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 41m. Total distance: 31.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 20.1 miles on Valley Freeway. 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.

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 (WA 7 / Pacific Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (WA 512): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Renton, 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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