Origin
Buckley, WA
Night in Buckley on Sunday
Local time
10:25 PM
PDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buckley, WA to Kent, WA
Drive Time
38m
Distance
25.6 mi
41 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buckley, WA
Ann H
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Buckley to Kent, you are in for a quick 25.6-mile trip that typically takes about 38 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it does not require an overnight stay to manage the distance. With fuel costs estimated at just $5, it is an economical jaunt within the Pacific Coast region. You will primarily navigate via the Valley Freeway, State Route 410 East, and Elhi Hill Road. Since the entire trip takes place within Washington, you can expect a familiar, straightforward driving experience between these two Pacific Coast locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
12.8 miles from Buckley, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .
Drive Character
This 25.6-mile journey is heavily highway-focused, with 87% of your travel time spent on major routes. You will experience a sustained flow, highlighted by a longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.1 miles on the Valley Freeway. The personality of the drive leans toward efficiency rather than technical complexity, moving quickly through the landscape. Expect the transition between the local roads and the main highway segments to define the pace of your trip. It is a functional, direct drive that keeps you moving steadily toward your destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Valley Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and State Route 410 East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Cottage Street.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 25.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Cottage Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Cottage Street
Turn left onto North Cottage Street
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Turn right onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
7
12.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167 North: Seattle
7
24.7 mi into trip
|
~36m 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
25 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
WA 516 / West Willis Street
Turn right onto WA 516 / West Willis Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| State Route 410 East | 10.1 mi | 15m |
| Elhi Hill Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| West Willis Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 4th Avenue South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Gowe Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Cottage Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 12.1 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buckley, WA and Kent, WA.
1
Start on this road
88 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Cottage Street
119 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Cottage Street
3
Turn right onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto WA 410
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
State Route 410 East
Use the none lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto WA 410
95 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 410 East
6
Continue on WA 410
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 410 East
Use the none lane.
7
Continue on WA 410
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Elhi Hill Road
Use the none lane.
8
Continue on WA 410
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
State Route 410 East
Use the none lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Seattle
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto WA 167
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto WA 516
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Willis Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Enter roundabout onto 4th Avenue South
238 ft
·
5 sec
·
4th Avenue South
14
Continue on 4th Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
4th Avenue South
15
Turn right onto West Gowe Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Gowe Street
16
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue South
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
2nd Avenue South
17
Arrive at destination
2nd Avenue South
Trip Plan
Because this drive is short and covers only 25.6 miles, you have significant flexibility in your departure time without needing to worry about complex pacing or rest stops. Since there are no mandatory stops scheduled, you can easily complete the trip in one go. Keep in mind that with an 87% highway share, your speed will remain relatively consistent throughout the 38-minute duration. To ensure a smooth experience, factor in the $5 fuel cost when planning your budget. A helpful tip for this specific route is to stay alert when transitioning off the Valley Freeway, as this is where the character of the road shifts most noticeably.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 12.8 miles from Buckley, WA, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 25.6 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 12.8 miles or 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kent, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buckley, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Buckley, WA
This is one driving day of about 25.6 miles and 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Buckley, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Valley Freeway for about 12.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 12.8 mi from Buckley, WA · 21m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
13 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 25.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 12.8 miles from Buckley, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Kent, WA
The final approach into Kent, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Kent, WA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.37 one way
$10.75 round trip
$5.33/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.57 | $5.61 | $11.22 |
| premium | $5.77 | $5.82 | $11.63 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $5.69 | $11.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Kent, WA
Night in Kent on Sunday
Local time
10:25 PM
PDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 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
38m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Buckley, WA to Kent, WA covers 25.6 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Valley Freeway, State Route 410 East, Elhi Hill Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.8 miles from Buckley, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.37 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 25.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Cottage Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Buckley, WA to Kent, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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