Origin
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Tuesday
Local time
3:07 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Milton, 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
13m
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 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
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.
Milton, WA
nicholas hatherly
Trip Overview
Tacoma to Milton is 8 miles and takes about 13 minutes via I 5 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Washington state, moving between the Pacific Coast region. It's a straightforward, quick connection ideal for local travel or a brief leg of a longer journey. Given its brevity, you won't encounter significant changes in scenery or terrain. Plan for a very simple transit between these two nearby points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| 20th Street East | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Milton Way | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South 13th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 11th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Maine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 3.1 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Milton, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
3
Turn left onto South 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 13th Street
4
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 705 SB Ramp
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Port of Tacoma
6
Merge onto I 705
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 705
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 5
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 137
Toward WA 99 North: Fife, 54th Avenue East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward South 54th Avenue, Valley Avenue East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn slight right onto 54th Avenue East
195 ft
·
13 sec
·
54th Avenue East
13
Turn left onto 20th Street East
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
20th Street East
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn left onto Milton Way
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Milton Way
Use the left lane.
15
Turn slight right onto Maine Street
467 ft
·
17 sec
·
Maine Street
16
Turn right
43 ft
·
3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 5.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
8
5.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward WA 99 North: Fife, 54th Avenue East
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 137
Toward WA 99 North: Fife, 54th Avenue East
9
5.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward South 54th Avenue, Valley Avenue East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward South 54th Avenue, Valley Avenue East
6
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
20th Street East
Turn left onto 20th Street East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
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
Milton, WA
Late night in Milton on Tuesday
Local time
3:07 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
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?
About half of this 8-mile drive is on I 5, with the longest continuous stretch on the highway being 3.1 miles. After leaving the interstate, you'll navigate surface streets like 20th Street East and Milton Way. Expect a mixed drive with urban merging as you transition from highway speeds to local traffic patterns. The change from high-speed to lower-speed roads will be noticeable as you exit the freeway.
50% 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: 3.1 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 1.5 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 13 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 13m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Tacoma, WA and Milton, WA, road signs point toward Port Of Tacoma, 54Th Avenue East and Valley Avenue East.
Port Of Tacoma
0.5 mi in
|
~1m
54Th Avenue East
5.2 mi in
|
~8m
Valley Avenue East
5.4 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Starting 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 13m. Total distance: 8 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 (50%). 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 3.1 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 Milton, 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 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 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 Milton, 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 Milton, WA
More trips to Milton, WA
Explore more options from Tacoma, WA or browse trips ending in Milton, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.