Origin
Clayton, NC
Late night in Clayton on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clayton, NC to Cary, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
24.9 mi
40 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clayton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel between Clayton and Cary, you are looking at a quick 24.9-mile journey that typically takes about 34 minutes to complete. This drive stays entirely within North Carolina's Southeast region, making it an ideal candidate for a simple one-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is a highly economical route for commuters or casual travelers. Because the transit time is so short, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics. You will find this a straightforward, no-nonsense path that connects two key points in the state efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| US 70 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Clayton Boulevard | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Lombard Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Barbour Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Hamby Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
— 8.5 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on North Lombard Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lombard Street
2
Turn right onto Hamby Street
427 ft
·
15 sec
·
Hamby Street
3
Turn left onto Barbour Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Barbour Street
4
Turn straight onto US 70
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Clayton Boulevard
5
Continue on US 70
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
US 70
6
Take the ramp
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 40 West: Raleigh
7
Merge onto I 40
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 40; US 64
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
9
Continue on I 40; US 64
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
10
Continue on I 40; US 64
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto NC 54
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto North Academy Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
14
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 24.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Barbour Street
Turn left onto Barbour Street
Navigation decision point
5
8.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge onto I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Cary
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NC 54: Cary
5
22.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Turn left onto NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
24.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
North Academy Street
Turn right onto North Academy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.89 one way
$7.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.26 | $8.52 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.61 | $9.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.50 | $11.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.61 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Cary, NC
Late night in Cary on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
2 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
34m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 75% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate a sequence of roads including the Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, the Dan K Moore Freeway, and US 70. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 8.5-mile run along the Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, which helps maintain a consistent pace. Expect a functional, interstate-style experience rather than a winding scenic route. The road personality is defined by these fast-moving freeways, ensuring you reach your destination with minimal technical driving requirements.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.5 mi on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway and Dan K Moore Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Barbour Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 34m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Barbour Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.1 miles (I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 24.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.5 miles on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (Barbour Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.1 miles (I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cary, 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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