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 Durham, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
41.6 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clayton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Clayton and Durham covers 41.6 miles and typically takes about 53 minutes, making it a straightforward day trip within North Carolina. You will spend the vast majority of your journey on major thoroughfares, including the Dan K Moore Freeway, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, and the Durham Freeway. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, this route is highly economical for those looking to traverse the Southeast region quickly. Because the total duration is under an hour, you won't need to plan for overnight stops or extensive travel logistics. This drive is best viewed as a practical connection between two distinct hubs rather than a leisure-focused excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 17.1 mi | 19m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| Durham Freeway | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| US 70 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Clayton Boulevard | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| North Lombard Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Barbour Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan K Moore Freeway
— 17.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton, NC and Durham, 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
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 279B
Toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 885
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Durham Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 147
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Durham Freeway
Exit 9
Toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
Use the slight left lane.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
16
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Clayton, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 33.7 and 41.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
33.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 279B
Toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
8
38.5 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 9
Toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
7
41.1 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
7
41.3 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Roxboro Street
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Roxboro Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
41.6 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.51 one way
$13.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.11 | $14.23 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.70 | $15.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.18 | $18.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 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 | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Durham, NC
Late night in Durham on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
53m 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?
Expect a focused, highway-heavy experience, as 88% of this trip is spent on high-speed roads. You will settle into a consistent rhythm early on, navigating the 17.1-mile stretch along the Dan K Moore Freeway, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your drive. The character of the road is strictly functional, prioritizing efficiency over scenic variety. As you transition through the various freeway segments, the pace remains steady and predictable. It is a classic interstate-style commute that requires your full attention to merging traffic rather than navigating technical local roads.
88% 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: 17.1 mi on Dan K Moore Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Dan K Moore Freeway and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 41.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 33.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Durham, NC
Full guide →Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the one with the grittier, more working-class image. A city of just over 300,000 residents in 2026, Durham has moved beyond a "tobacco town" with a prestigious university at its center to become a regionally and nationally recognized symbol of urban renewal, gentrification, technology and diversity. Durham's vibrant African-American community was historically pioneering in United States Black culture, from the arts to finance. These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a much more high-profile (and expensive) identity. Thanks to local anchor Duke University, a thriving, research-driven medical and tech industry has taken root.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 41.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.1 miles on Dan K Moore Freeway. 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 Durham, 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 33.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 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 Durham, 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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