Origin
Benson, NC
Late night in Benson on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Benson, NC to West Raleigh, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
34 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Benson, NC
Wikimedia Commons
West Raleigh, NC
Evgeniia Belman
Trip Overview
This straightforward 34-mile drive from Benson to West Raleigh, North Carolina, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 43 minutes. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with 87% of the journey on major roads like I-40 and NC 242. You can expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this short hop within the Southeast region. Given its brevity and efficient path, this drive is perfect for a quick transit or a leisurely morning departure. It's designed for direct travel, allowing you to reach your destination with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 26.9 mi | 29m |
| NC 242 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Western Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Saunders Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Wall Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pullen Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Hillsborough Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 26.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Benson, NC and West Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on US 301; NC 242
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wall Street
2
Turn left onto NC 242
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
NC 242
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
4
Merge onto I 40
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 40
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
15 mi
·
16 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 298B
Toward NC 50 North, US 401 North, US 70 West: Raleigh Downtown
Use the right lane.
7
Turn straight onto US 70; US 401; NC 50
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Saunders Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn slight right
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Western Boulevard
9
Turn straight onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
10
Continue on Western Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Western Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn slight right
429 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Pullen Road
12
Turn right onto Pullen Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pullen Road
13
Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road
63 ft
·
2 sec
·
Pullen Road
14
Continue on Pullen Road
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Pullen Road
15
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
205 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hillsborough Street
16
Continue on Hillsborough Street
503 ft
·
14 sec
·
Hillsborough Street
17
Turn right onto Enterprise Street
44 ft
·
1 sec
·
Enterprise Street
18
Arrive at destination
Enterprise Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 33.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
NC 242
Turn left onto NC 242
Navigation decision point
6
15.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward NC 50 North, US 401 North, US 70 West: Raleigh Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 298B
Toward NC 50 North, US 401 North, US 70 West: R...
5
33.7 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Pullen Road
Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
33.9 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Hillsborough Street
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.32 one way
$10.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.81 | $11.63 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.29 | $12.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
West Raleigh, NC
Late night in West Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
SW 6 to 14 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
42 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
43m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Primarily a highway-focused experience, this route will see you spending most of your time on interstates and major state routes. You'll encounter a significant 87% of the drive on these faster roads. The longest continuous stretch on this journey is 26.9 miles, all on I-40, offering a consistent pace. The transition from NC 242 to Western Boulevard will likely mark a shift as you approach the Raleigh area, moving from a more rural highway feel to a more developed, potentially busier, urban approach.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.9 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and NC 242. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near NC 242.
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 34 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 0.5 miles (NC 242): Navigation decision point; at 15.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 34 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.9 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at West Raleigh, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (NC 242): Navigation decision point; at 15.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Raleigh, NC before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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