Origin
Coulee Dam, WA
Night in Coulee Dam on Friday
Local time
10:23 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Coulee Dam, WA to Tacoma, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 15m
Distance
243.8 mi
392 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$51
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 2m
★
6 AM
4h 15m
8 AM
4h 42m
10 AM
4h 25m
12 PM
4h 22m
3 PM
4h 26m
5 PM
4h 40m
8 PM
4h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Coulee Dam, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Coulee Dam, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 243.8 miles and takes about 4h 15m 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 $51.03 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
121.9 miles from Coulee Dam, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 7m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 15m. Total distance: 243.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 15m 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 15m drive with frequent turns across 243.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 37 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 15m 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 Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, 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
27 mi
·
34 min
·
State Route 18
24
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Seattle, Tacoma
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5: Seattle, Tacoma
25
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma
26
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Tacoma
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 5 South: Tacoma
27
Merge slight left
7.2 mi
·
9 min
28
Take the exit slight right toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
29
Keep slight right to continue on I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
335 ft
·
8 sec
·
I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
30
Keep slight left to continue on I 705 North: City Center
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
I 705 North: City Center
31
Merge slight right
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
32
Take the exit slight left toward A Street, City Center
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
A Street, City Center
33
Keep slight left to continue on South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
34
Continue on South 15th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South 15th Street
35
Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tacoma Avenue South
36
Turn right onto South 11th Street
43 ft
·
2 sec
·
South 11th Street
37
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 121.9 miles from Coulee Dam, WA, or about 2h 7m 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 54 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 121.9 miles or 2h 7m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tacoma, 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 243.8 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 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 121.9 mi from Coulee Dam, WA · 2h 7m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
122 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 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 121.9 miles from Coulee Dam, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tacoma, WA
The final approach into Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, 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
$51.03 one way
$102.05 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
85 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $53.51 | $107.02 |
| premium | $5.77 | $55.36 | $110.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $53.83 | $107.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 85.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 73.1 | 0 | $25.60 | $11.70 |
| Efficient EV | 61 | 0 | $21.33 | $9.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 97.5 | 1 | $34.13 | $15.60 |
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
29 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.
Destination
Tacoma, WA
Night in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
10:23 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
8 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
4h 15m 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 Tacoma, WA covers 243.8 miles and takes about 4h 15m 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 121.9 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 $51.03 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 15m 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 Tacoma, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Coulee Dam, WA to Tacoma, 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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