Origin
Clayton, NC
Late night in Clayton on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clayton, NC to 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
24m
Distance
15.2 mi
24 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clayton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Clayton to Raleigh, you are looking at a quick 15.2-mile journey that typically takes about 24 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it connects two areas within the Southeast region of North Carolina. You can expect to spend roughly $2 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very economical commute. Because of the short distance, you won't need to worry about overnight lodging or planning multiple stops. It is a straightforward, practical transition between the two towns that fits easily into any schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| US 70 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Clayton Boulevard | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Rock Quarry Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Lombard Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Wilmington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Barbour Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
— 4.6 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton, NC and Raleigh, 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
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Rock Quarry Road
10
Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Rock Quarry Road
11
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
East South Street
14
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 15.2 — 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
6
12.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
5
13.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
15 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
South Wilmington Street
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
15.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
East South Street
Turn left onto East South Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.38 one way
$4.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.60 | $5.20 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.81 | $5.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.36 | $6.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.33 | $0.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Raleigh, NC
Late night in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
12:18 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
24m 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 15.2-mile excursion offers a mixed-drive profile that balances highway travel with local road access. You will spend about 59% of your time on highways, utilizing the Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, US 70, and Clayton Boulevard to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 4.6-mile segment on the Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, which provides a brief period of consistent speed. As you transition between these main arteries, the road's personality shifts from residential-style local lanes to more high-traffic freeway corridors. Expect a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed over winding scenic detours.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.6 mi on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Barbour Street.
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 15.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Barbour Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles (Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Clayton, NC to Raleigh, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Quarry Rd North along the way.
Rock Quarry Rd North
12.8 mi in
|
~18m
About the Cities
Arriving in Raleigh, NC
Full guide →The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.
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 24m. Total distance: 15.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.6 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 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles (Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at 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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