The 13 miles (20.9 km) long highway extends southeast from an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Lacey to SR 507 in Yelm.

The roadway was built by 1916 as a connector from Saint Clair Lake to the Northern Pacific Railway station in Yelm and was designated as Secondary State Highway 5I (SSH 5I) in 1937.

SR 510 begins as Marvin Road at exit 111, a diverging diamond interchange on Interstate 5 (I-5) in southern Lacey.

[4][5] South of the mall is the Martin Way intersection, located west of River Ridge High School and one of the busiest intersections on the roadway at a daily average of 24,000 motorists in 2008,[6][7] and the Pacific Avenue roundabout,[1] where SR 510 turns east, renamed Pacific Avenue, northeast of Long Lake.

After leaving Lacey city limits, the roadway begins to parallel the Quadlok line formerly operated by Tacoma Rail south towards the Old Pacific Highway.

[1][12] SR 510 began as an unsigned county-maintained road that ran from the Saint Clair Lake area to the Northern Pacific Railway station at Yelm, constructed by 1916.