Origin
Concord, NC
Morning in Concord on Sunday
Local time
10:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Concord, NC to Elizabeth City, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
63 mi
101 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Concord, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth City, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Concord, NC to Elizabeth City, NC is 63 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via I 85, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This journey remains within North Carolina, offering a straightforward drive from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. It's a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed. You'll find this route to be a practical option for connecting these two North Carolina locations, with most of the travel on major roadways.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 19.1 mi | 23m |
| Craig Lawing Freeway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| H Allen Tate Jr Highway | 7.9 mi | 8m |
| Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Concord Parkway South | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| Cabarrus Avenue West | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| East Dixon Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 19.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Concord, NC and Elizabeth City, NC.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
409 ft
·
20 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn left onto Cabarrus Avenue West
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the left lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto Cabarrus Avenue West
84 ft
·
1 sec
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
4
Continue on Cabarrus Avenue West
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto US 29
6.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Concord Parkway South
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on US 29
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Tryon Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 485 Outer North
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 485
0.5 mi
·
29 sec
·
Governor James G Martin Freeway
9
Continue on I 485
7.9 mi
·
8 min
·
H Allen Tate Jr Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 485
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Craig Lawing Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 9-10
Toward I 85, US 29, US 74: Greensboro, Spartanburg, Wilkinson Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 10B
Toward I 85 South: Gastonia, Spartanburg
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 85
19 mi
·
23 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 10B
Toward US 74 West: Kings Mountain, Shelby
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on US 74
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 74
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
17
Continue on US 74
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Dixon Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto US 74 BUS
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Marion Street
19
Continue on NC 180
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Post Road
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto Crystal Lane
424 ft
·
18 sec
·
Crystal Lane
21
Arrive at destination
Crystal Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from Concord, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cabarrus Avenue West
Turn left onto Cabarrus Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
9.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp toward I 485 Outer North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 485 Outer North
8
28.8 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward I 85, US 29, US 74: Greensboro, Spartanburg, Wilkinson Boulevard
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.
Exit 9-10
Toward I 85, US 29, US 74: Greensboro, Spartanb...
9
29.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 85 South: Gastonia, Spartanburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward I 85 South: Gastonia, Spartanburg
8
49.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward US 74 West: Kings Mountain, Shelby
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10B
Toward US 74 West: Kings Mountain, Shelby
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.85 one way
$19.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.77 | $21.54 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.66 | $23.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.91 | $27.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.82 | $4.03 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Elizabeth City, NC
Morning in Elizabeth City on Sunday
Local time
10:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
5 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
1h 21m 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 drive is a mixed bag, with 58% of the route utilizing major highways like I 85. Expect to spend a significant portion of your time on these faster roads, including a notable stretch of 19.1 miles on I 85 without interruption. While the Craig Lawing Freeway and H Allen Tate Jr Highway also contribute to the highway share, the overall profile suggests a journey that balances efficient travel with some local road transitions. The character is predominantly that of a practical, direct connection rather than a winding scenic tour.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.1 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cabarrus Avenue West.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63 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 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 28.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Concord, NC and Elizabeth City, NC, road signs point toward Spartanburg and Shelby.
Spartanburg
28.8 mi in
|
~36m
Shelby
49.2 mi in
|
~1h 2m
About the Cities
Starting in Concord, NC
Full guide →Concord is a city in North Carolina and fast-growing bedroom community of the major city of Charlotte. In 2020, the population was around 107,000, making it the second largest city of the Charlotte Metro.
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 1h 21m. Total distance: 63 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.1 miles on I 85. 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 Elizabeth City, 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 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 28.8 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 Elizabeth City, 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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