Origin
Tacoma, WA
Night in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
10:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Key Center, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
23.9 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Key Center, WA
Zulfugar Karimov
Trip Overview
Tacoma to Key Center is 23.9 miles and takes about 38 minutes via WA 16, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, straightforward trip stays within Washington state, moving from the Pacific Coast region to another part of the same coastal area. Expect a drive that's primarily on highways, making it a quick and efficient journey for locals or those looking for a simple connection between these two points. Given its brevity, it’s an easy addition to a larger Pacific Northwest itinerary or a convenient way to reach a destination on the Key Peninsula.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 23.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with about 70% of the journey taking place on main roads like WA 16 and WA 302. You'll experience a longest stretch of 12.5 miles on WA 16, offering a smooth, relatively fast-paced experience. As you transition to Key Peninsula Highway Northwest, the character might subtly shift, but the overall feel remains geared towards efficient travel. It’s designed for getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss, prioritizing directness over winding scenic byways.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WA 16 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and WA 302. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 23.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WA 16
Merge onto WA 16
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.8 mi into trip
|
~21m 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
4
17.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
WA 302
At end of road, turn right onto WA 302
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tacoma, WA to Key Center, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bremerton along the way.
Bremerton
1.9 mi in
|
~5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WA 16 | 12.5 mi | 15m |
| WA 302 | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Key Peninsula Highway Northwest | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| State Route 302 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South 11th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Purdy Drive Northwest | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Goldman Drive Northwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Sprague Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
WA 16
— 12.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Key Center, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn left onto South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sprague Avenue
3
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Sprague Ramp
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
6
Merge onto WA 16
13 mi
·
15 min
·
WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward WA 302 West: Purdy Key Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto WA 302
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Purdy Drive Northwest
9
Turn left onto WA 302
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 302
10
Turn right onto Goldman Drive Northwest
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Goldman Drive Northwest
11
At end of road, turn right onto WA 302
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
WA 302
12
Turn straight onto Key Peninsula Highway Northwest
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Key Peninsula Highway Northwest
13
Arrive at destination
Key Peninsula Highway Northwest
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.00 one way
$10.00 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $5.25 | $10.49 |
| premium | $5.77 | $5.43 | $10.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.28 | $10.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.09 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Key Center, WA
Night in Key Center on Friday
Local time
10:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°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
12 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
38m 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 Tacoma, WA to Key Center, WA covers 23.9 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WA 16, WA 302, Key Peninsula Highway Northwest. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.9 miles from Tacoma, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.00 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 23.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tacoma, WA to Key Center, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bremerton along the way.
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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