Origin
Gig Harbor, WA
Evening in Gig Harbor on Friday
Local time
7:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gig Harbor, WA to Renton, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
36.4 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gig Harbor, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gig Harbor, WA to Renton, WA covers 36.4 miles and takes about 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, WA 16, I 405 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.9 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.62 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 36.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 49m highway drive covering 36.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and WA 16. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.9 miles on I 5.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 5 is the longest continuous segment at about 20.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and WA 16. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 32.6 miles in.
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 15 decision points packed into just 36.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 32.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
32.6 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bellevue
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 154A-B
Toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma...
9
32.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 154B
Toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
8
34.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
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 2
Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
8
34.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Renton, Rainier Avenue South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward Renton, Rainier Avenue South
9
35.1 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North: Renton, Rainier Avenue South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167 North: Renton, Rainier Avenue Sou...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gig Harbor, WA and Renton, WA, road signs point toward Bellevue and Auburn.
Bellevue
32.6 mi in
|
~42m
Auburn
34.4 mi in
|
~45m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 20.9 mi | 26m |
| WA 16 | 9.6 mi | 12m |
| I 405 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Rainier Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Pioneer Way | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Valley Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harborview Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 20.9 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gig Harbor, WA and Renton, WA.
1
Start on Harborview Drive
188 ft
·
9 sec
·
Harborview Drive
2
Turn left onto Pioneer Way
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Pioneer Way
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
4
Merge onto WA 16
9.6 mi
·
12 min
·
WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 5
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 5
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
21 mi
·
25 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
448 ft
·
10 sec
Exit 154A-B
Toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bellevue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 154B
Toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 405
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 405
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Renton, Auburn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward Renton, Rainier Avenue South
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Toward WA 167 North: Renton, Rainier Avenue South
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto WA 167
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Valley Freeway
16
Continue on WA 167
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Rainier Avenue South
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right
39 ft
·
2 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.2 mi from Gig Harbor, WA · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.2 miles from Gig Harbor, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Renton, WA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Renton, WA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.62 one way
$15.24 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.99 | $15.98 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.27 | $16.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.04 | $16.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Renton, WA
Evening in Renton on Friday
Local time
7:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Sunny
N 1 to 5 mph
0% 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
1 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
49m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Gig Harbor, WA to Renton, WA covers 36.4 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, WA 16, I 405. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.2 miles from Gig Harbor, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.62 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 short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 36.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
The main spots that need attention: at 32.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Gig Harbor, WA and Renton, WA, road signs point toward Bellevue and Auburn.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.
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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