Origin
White Center, WA
Late night in White Center on Sunday
Local time
12:50 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from White Center, WA to Seattle, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
8.3 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 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
White Center, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from White Center to Seattle, you are in for a quick 7.4-mile trip that typically takes about 16 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region of Washington, making it a straightforward local connection rather than a long-distance haul. You will primarily navigate via Olson Place Southwest, WA 509 North, and the 1st Avenue South Bridge. Given the short duration, this is easily completed in a single day with no overnight stay required. Budgeting around $2 for fuel should be more than enough to cover the distance, and you won't need to plan for any stops along the way.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Southwest Roxbury Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| WA 509 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Michigan Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Olson Place Southwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 1st Avenue South Bridge | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Seneca Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 3.8 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between White Center, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on Southwest Roxbury Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest Roxbury Street
2
Turn slight left onto Olson Place Southwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Olson Place Southwest
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Toward WA 509 North: Seattle
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto WA 509
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 509
5
Continue on WA 99
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
1st Avenue South Bridge
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Michigan Street
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto South Michigan Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Michigan Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn slight right onto South Bailey Street
279 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Bailey Street
Use the slight right / right lanes.
9
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 5, I 90
Use the left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
11
Merge onto I 5
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
Use the slight left lane.
13
Turn left onto Seneca Street
323 ft
·
18 sec
·
Seneca Street
14
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
16
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 8.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward Michigan Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Michigan Street
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
South Michigan Street
Keep slight left at fork onto South Michigan Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
3.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Turn left toward I 5, I 90
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5, I 90
7
7.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Seneca Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.74 one way
$3.47 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $1.82 | $3.64 |
| premium | $5.77 | $1.88 | $3.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.83 | $3.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 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 | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.73 | $0.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.16 | $0.53 |
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
Seattle, WA
Late night in Seattle on Sunday
Local time
12:50 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Sunny
S 6 mph
2% chance
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
16m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you transition between these two areas. With 0% of the route on major interstate highways, you will spend the entire 16-minute journey maneuvering through surface streets and local connectors. The road profile is technical rather than monotonous, requiring your full attention as you navigate through the urban landscape. Because the journey is so short, there is no long, uninterrupted highway stretch to speak of; instead, your focus will be on managing the various turns and bridge transitions that define the path.
54% 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: 3.8 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 8.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (South Michigan Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 8.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). 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 3.8 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 Seattle, 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 2.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (South Michigan Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles: 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 Seattle, 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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