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Trip from Federal Way, WA to Wauna, WA

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

Drive Time

39m

Distance

27.5 mi

44 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 36m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Wauna, WA, WA

Wauna, WA

Alok Sharma

Trip Overview

This straightforward 27.5-mile drive from Federal Way to Wauna, Washington, is easily manageable in about 39 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The route primarily utilizes WA 16 and I-5, with a short section on Pacific Highway South, accounting for 81% highway driving. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this trip offers an economical way to travel between these two points within the Pacific Coast region. Given its short duration and minimal stops recommended, you can complete this journey without needing an overnight stay, offering a flexible travel option.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
WA 16 12.5 mi 15m
I 5 8.8 mi 10m
Pacific Highway South 1.8 mi 3m
State Route 302 0.9 mi 1m
Purdy Drive Northwest 0.8 mi 1m
16th Avenue South 0.5 mi 1m
State Route 18 <0.1 mi <1m
South 312th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: WA 16 — 12.5 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on this road

24 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto South 312th Street

158 ft · 5 sec · South 312th Street
3

Turn left onto WA 99

1.8 mi · 3 min · Pacific Highway South
4

Turn left onto 16th Avenue South

0.5 mi · 1 min · 16th Avenue South
5

Turn left onto WA 18

497 ft · 13 sec · State Route 18
Use the left lane.
6

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma
8

Merge onto I 5

7.5 mi · 9 min · I 5
Use the slight left lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

1.3 mi · 1 min · I 5
10

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 132B Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 45 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Union Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto WA 16

13 mi · 15 min · WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward WA 302 West: Purdy Key Center Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn straight onto WA 302

0.8 mi · 1 min · Purdy Drive Northwest
15

Turn left onto WA 302

0.9 mi · 1 min · State Route 302
16

Turn left

67 ft · 5 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | South 312th Street

Turn left onto South 312th Street

Navigation decision point

8
2.4 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the exit toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma

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 I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
8
11.6 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton

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. Exit 132B Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
7
12.2 mi into trip | ~18m in

Keep slight left at fork toward WA 16 West: Union Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward WA 16 West: Union Avenue
6
25.2 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward WA 302 West: Purdy Key Center

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward WA 302 West: Purdy Key Center

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.76 one way

$11.51 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $6.04 $12.07
premium $5.77 $6.24 $12.49
diesel $5.61 $6.07 $12.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.3 0 $2.89 $1.32
Efficient EV 6.9 0 $2.41 $1.10
EV Truck/SUV 11 0 $3.85 $1.76

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Federal Way, WA

Afternoon in Federal Way on Saturday

Local time

1:26 PM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Rain

SSW 16 mph 94% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 4:28PM PDT until April 14 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 4:28PM PDT until April 14 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA

Destination

Wauna, WA

Afternoon in Wauna on Saturday

Local time

1:26 PM

PDT

Current temp

59°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

39m 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 highway-focused drive for most of this 27.5-mile journey. With 81% of the route on highways, you'll experience efficient travel, including a continuous stretch of 12.5 miles on WA 16. The blend of I-5 and WA 16 means you'll encounter typical interstate speeds and conditions for a significant portion of your trip. While primarily highway, keep an eye out for transitions as you approach your destination.

81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on WA 16.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and I 5. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 312th Street.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 27.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 312th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Federal Way, WA and Wauna, WA, road signs point toward Tacoma and Bremerton.

Tacoma

2.4 mi in | ~5m

Bremerton

11.6 mi in | ~17m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 27.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on WA 16. 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 Wauna, 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: near the start (South 312th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Wauna, WA before heading back.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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