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Trip from Coulee Dam, WA to Federal Way, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 9m

Distance

237 mi

381 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
3h 56m ★
6 AM
4h 10m
8 AM
4h 36m
10 AM
4h 19m
12 PM
4h 16m
3 PM
4h 20m
5 PM
4h 35m
8 PM
4h 2m

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

concrete hydroelectric gravity dam on the Columbia River in Washington, United States

Coulee Dam, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Coulee Dam, WA to Federal Way, WA covers 237 miles and takes about 4h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Roosevelt Way, Highway 155, Columbia Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.60 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

118.5 miles from Coulee Dam, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 9m. Total distance: 237 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 9m drive with frequent turns across 237 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Roosevelt Way is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 9m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Coulee Dam, WA to Federal Way, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Roosevelt Way
Highway 155
Columbia Avenue
State Route 155
Coulee Corridor
Midway Avenue
Grand Coulee Avenue
Coulee Boulevard

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Roosevelt Way — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Coulee Dam, WA and Federal Way, WA.

1

Start on Marina Way

92 ft · 5 sec · Marina Way
2

Continue on Roosevelt Way

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Roosevelt Way
3

Continue on State Highway 155

0.2 mi · 28 sec · State Highway 155
4

Turn left onto Columbia Avenue

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Columbia Avenue
5

Continue on State Route 155

0.2 mi · 26 sec · State Route 155
6

Continue on Coulee Corridor

1.7 mi · 3 min · Coulee Corridor
7

Continue on Midway Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Midway Avenue
8

Continue on Midway Avenue

256 ft · 7 sec · Midway Avenue
9

Continue on Grand Coulee Avenue

0.5 mi · 57 sec · Grand Coulee Avenue
10

Continue on Coulee Boulevard

25 mi · 32 min · Coulee Boulevard
11

Continue on Coulee Corridor / Sunset Highway

4.3 mi · 6 min · Coulee Corridor / Sunset Highway
12

Turn left onto Coulee Corridor

21 mi · 29 min · Coulee Corridor
13

Turn right

3.7 mi · 5 min
14

Turn left onto Alder Street Northwest

1.6 mi · 2 min · Alder Street Northwest
15

Continue on Alder Street Southwest

0.4 mi · 57 sec · Alder Street Southwest
16

Turn right onto 5th Avenue Southwest

394 ft · 16 sec · 5th Avenue Southwest
17

Turn left onto Basin Street Southwest

20 mi · 26 min · Basin Street Southwest
18

Take the ramp straight toward I 90 West: Seattle

0.3 mi · 45 sec · I 90 West: Seattle
19

Merge slight left

126 mi · 2 hr 17 min
20

Take the exit slight right toward WA 18 West: Auburn

0.2 mi · 30 sec · WA 18 West: Auburn
21

Keep slight left to continue on SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma

449 ft · 13 sec · SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma
22

Merge slight right onto Snoqualmie Parkway

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Snoqualmie Parkway
23

Continue on State Route 18

24 mi · 31 min · State Route 18
24

Take the exit slight right toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup

0.2 mi · 19 sec · WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
25

Keep slight left to continue on WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway

0.3 mi · 26 sec · WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway
26

Keep slight left to continue on West Valley Highway

0.1 mi · 24 sec · West Valley Highway
27

At the end of the road, turn left onto West Valley Highway North

0.1 mi · 20 sec · West Valley Highway North
28

Turn right onto South Peasley Canyon Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Peasley Canyon Road
29

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward South Peasley Canyon Road

69 ft · 2 sec · South Peasley Canyon Road
30

Exit the roundabout onto South Peasley Canyon Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Peasley Canyon Road
31

Continue on South 320th Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · South 320th Street
32

Turn right onto Pacific Highway South

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Pacific Highway South
33

Turn right onto South 312th Street

157 ft · 6 sec · South 312th Street
34

Turn right

23 ft · 2 sec
35

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 118.5 miles from Coulee Dam, WA, or about 2h 4m into the drive.

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 52 miles or 54m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 118.5 miles or 2h 4m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Federal Way, WA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Coulee Dam, 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 Coulee Dam, WA

This is one driving day of about 237 miles and 4h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Coulee Dam, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 118.5 mi from Coulee Dam, WA · 2h 4m into the drive

Downtown South Cle Elum, WA, WA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

South Cle Elum, WA

119 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

Soap Lake, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

South Cle Elum, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 118.5 miles from Coulee Dam, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Federal Way, WA

The final approach into Federal Way, 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 Federal Way, 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

$49.60 one way

$99.20 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 83 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $52.02 $104.04
premium $5.77 $53.82 $107.64
diesel $5.61 $52.33 $104.65

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$50

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$75–$100

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 82.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 71.1 0 $24.88 $11.38
Efficient EV 59.3 0 $20.74 $9.48
EV Truck/SUV 94.8 1 $33.18 $15.17

Gas CO2

83 kg

EV CO2

28 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 15, 2026

Origin

Coulee Dam, WA

Late night in Coulee Dam on Saturday

Local time

4:09 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Federal Way, WA

Late night in Federal Way on Saturday

Local time

4:09 AM

PDT

Current temp

47°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

4 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

4h 9m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Coulee Dam, WA to Federal Way, WA covers 237 miles and takes about 4h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Roosevelt Way, Highway 155, Columbia Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 118.5 miles from Coulee Dam, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.60 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 4h 9m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Coulee Dam, WA to Federal Way, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Coulee Dam, WA to Federal Way, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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