Origin
Summit, WA
Evening in Summit on Thursday
Local time
7:43 PM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Summit, WA to Tacoma, WA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
19m
Distance
9.7 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Summit, WA
Mr Alex Photography
Trip Overview
The drive from Summit, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 9.7 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pioneer Way East, Canyon Road East, I 5 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.2 miles on Pioneer Way East. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 9.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 19m drive with frequent turns across 9.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pioneer Way East is the longest continuous segment at about 3.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.7 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 12 decision points packed into just 9.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
7.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Ta...
7
7.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome St...
7
7.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 705 North: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 705 North: City Center
8
8.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward A Street, City Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward A Street, City Center
9
8.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Summit, WA and Tacoma, WA, road signs point toward Portland, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Dome Station and City Center.
Portland
6.6 mi in
|
~13m
Tacoma Dome
7.7 mi in
|
~14m
Tacoma Dome Station
7.9 mi in
|
~15m
City Center
8.6 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Way East | 3.2 mi | 6m |
| Canyon Road East | 3 mi | 6m |
| I 5 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| I 705 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Bay Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tacoma Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 15th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| River Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pioneer Way East
— 3.2 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Summit, WA and Tacoma, WA.
1
Start on Canyon Road East
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Canyon Road East
2
Turn straight onto Pioneer Way East
3.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Pioneer Way East
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn slight left onto WA 167
227 ft
·
5 sec
·
River Road
4
Continue on WA 167
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bay Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 5 South: Olympia, Portland
6
Merge onto I 5
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 5
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 133
Toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome
8
Keep slight right at fork
334 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 705 North: City Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 705
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 705
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward A Street, City Center
Use the slight left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on South 15th Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Tacoma Avenue South
15
Turn right onto South 11th Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 11th Street
16
Arrive at destination
South 11th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.03 one way
$4.06 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $2.13 | $4.26 |
| premium | $5.77 | $2.20 | $4.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.14 | $4.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.02 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Tacoma, WA
Evening in Tacoma on Thursday
Local time
7:43 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
16 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
19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Summit, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 9.7 miles and takes about 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pioneer Way East, Canyon Road East, I 5. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.8 miles from Summit, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.03 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 12 decision points packed into just 9.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Summit, WA and Tacoma, WA, road signs point toward Portland, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Dome Station and City Center.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.
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