Origin
Kirkland, WA
Late night in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
12:07 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Tukwila, WA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
28m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Tukwila, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Tukwila, WA covers 19.7 miles and takes about 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 405, Interurban Avenue South, 7th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.6 miles on I 405. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 28m highway drive covering 19.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 405 and Interurban Avenue South. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.6 miles on I 405.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 405 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.6 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
408 ft
46 ft
Total Climb
523 ft
Total Descent
541 ft
Highest Point
408 ft
~2.8 mi in
Elevation Range
362 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and Interurban Avenue South. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 19.7 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.5 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
7th Avenue
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
7th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto 7th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
7th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto 7th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
18.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward WA 181 South: Tukwila, Tukwila Station, West Valley Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward WA 181 South: Tukwila, Tukwila Station,...
6
19.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
South 141st Place
Turn left onto South 141st Place
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kirkland, WA and Tukwila, WA, road signs point toward Tukwila Station and Valley Highway.
Tukwila Station
18.2 mi in
|
~24m
Valley Highway
18.2 mi in
|
~24m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 16.6 mi | 20m |
| Interurban Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 58th Avenue South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 141st Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 16.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Tukwila, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
399 ft
·
16 sec
·
1st Street
2
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
7th Avenue
3
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
7th Avenue
4
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
7th Avenue
5
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft
·
14 sec
·
6th Street
6
Turn left onto Northeast 85th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 85th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 405 South: Renton
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 405
17 mi
·
20 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 1
Toward WA 181 South: Tukwila, Tukwila Station, West Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
137 ft
·
6 sec
11
Turn left onto Interurban Avenue South
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interurban Avenue South
12
Turn left onto South 141st Place
445 ft
·
12 sec
·
South 141st Place
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on 58th Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
58th Avenue South
14
Turn right onto South 144th Street
47 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 144th Street
15
Arrive at destination
South 144th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.12 one way
$8.25 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.32 | $8.65 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.47 | $8.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Tukwila, WA
Late night in Tukwila on Friday
Local time
12:07 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Light Rain Likely
SSW 7 mph
64% chance
Live forecast
Winter Storm Watch
Winter Storm Watch issued April 13 at 2:38AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA
Winter Storm Watch
Winter Storm Watch issued April 13 at 12:01AM PDT until April 16 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Portland OR
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
28m 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 Kirkland, WA to Tukwila, WA covers 19.7 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 405, Interurban Avenue South, 7th Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.8 miles from Kirkland, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.12 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 19.7 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.5 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Between Kirkland, WA and Tukwila, WA, road signs point toward Tukwila Station and Valley Highway.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 46 ft to 408 ft elevation with about 523 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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