Origin
West Lake Stevens, WA
Late night in West Lake Stevens on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Lake Stevens, 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
1h 6m
Distance
46.2 mi
74 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Lake Stevens, WA
Jan Simpson
Trip Overview
West Lake Stevens to Kent is 46.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via I 405 and State Route 9, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily sticks to major highways within Washington State, connecting the Pacific Coast regions of your journey. Expect a straightforward, efficient trip focused on getting you from point A to point B without many detours. It's a solid choice if you need to cover ground quickly and are comfortable with consistent highway driving. Plan for this to be a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 20.4 mi | 25m |
| State Route 9 | 15 mi | 23m |
| Valley Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| State Route 522 | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Central Avenue North | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| East Gowe Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Street Southeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 20.4 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Lake Stevens, WA and Kent, WA.
1
Start on 96th Drive Southeast
30 ft
·
6 sec
·
96th Drive Southeast
2
Turn left onto 3rd Street Southeast
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
3rd Street Southeast
3
Turn right onto 4th Street Southeast
396 ft
·
23 sec
·
4th Street Southeast
4
At end of road, turn left onto WA 9
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 9
5
Enter roundabout onto State Route 9
112 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 9
6
Continue on State Route 9
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 9
Use the straight lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto WA 9
123 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Route 9
8
Continue on WA 9
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 9
9
Continue on WA 9
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
State Route 9
Use the left / uturn lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward WA 522 West: Seattle
11
Merge onto WA 522
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 522
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 405 South: Bellevue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn slight left onto I 405
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto WA 167
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward 84th Avenue South, North Central Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Central Avenue North
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Avenue North
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right onto East Gowe Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Gowe Street
20
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue South
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
2nd Avenue South
21
Arrive at destination
2nd Avenue South
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.1 miles from West Lake Stevens, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 17.7 and 44.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
17.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 405 South: Bellevue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 405 South: Bellevue
8
38.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue Sou...
7
39.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
7
44.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward 84th Avenue South, North Central Avenue
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 84th Avenue South, North Central Avenue
6
44.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
Central Avenue North
Turn left onto Central Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.67 one way
$19.34 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $10.14 | $20.28 |
| premium | $5.77 | $10.49 | $20.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.20 | $20.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.85 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.04 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Kent, WA
Late night in Kent on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
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
10 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
1h 6m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 91% of the route utilizing major freeways. You'll spend most of your time on I 405 and the Valley Freeway, experiencing a consistent pace for extended periods. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 20.4 miles on I 405, allowing for a smooth flow of traffic. While largely highway, be aware that State Route 9 offers a brief change of pace before rejoining the freeway system. Overall, expect a driving experience characterized by efficiency and speed.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.4 mi on I 405.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and State Route 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.2 miles you will encounter 17 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: at 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.4 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.
On the drive from West Lake Stevens, WA to Kent, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Rainier Avenue South along the way.
Rainier Avenue South
38.9 mi in
|
~54m
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 1h 6m. Total distance: 46.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.4 miles on I 405. 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 Kent, 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 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.4 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 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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