Skip to main content

Trip from Elizabeth City, NC to Concord, 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 20m

Distance

61.6 mi

99 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
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.

city in Pasquotank County and Camden County, North Carolina, United States

Elizabeth City, NC

Wikimedia Commons

city in North Carolina, United States

Concord, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Connecting Elizabeth City to Concord, this 61.6-mile journey across North Carolina is an efficient trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Because of the relatively short distance, it serves perfectly as a straightforward day trip, eliminating any need for an overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $10 on fuel for the trek, making it a very budget-friendly excursion within the Southeast region. The route relies on local roads rather than major interstates, utilizing the Cameron Morrison Bridge, the Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway, and the Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway to reach your destination. If you are looking for a quick, practical transit between these two cities, this drive offers a reliable and uncomplicated path.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Cameron Morrison Bridge 18.4 mi 22m
Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway 17.6 mi 21m
Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway 6.8 mi 7m
Concord Parkway South 6.7 mi 9m
North Tryon Street 2.2 mi 3m
Cabarrus Avenue West 2 mi 3m
Andrew Jackson Highway 1.8 mi 2m
East Dixon Boulevard 1.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Cameron Morrison Bridge — 18.4 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth City, NC and Concord, NC.

1

Start on Crystal Lane

424 ft · 21 sec · Crystal Lane
2

Turn right onto NC 180

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Post Road
3

Turn left onto US 74 BUS

1.5 mi · 2 min · East Marion Street
4

Turn left onto US 74

1.6 mi · 1 min · East Dixon Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
5

Continue on US 74

1.8 mi · 2 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
6

Continue on US 74

6.8 mi · 7 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 7 sec
Toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 85

18 mi · 21 min · Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
Use the straight lane.
10

Continue on I 85

18 mi · 22 min · Cameron Morrison Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 46A Toward Mallard Creek Church Road East Use the slight right lane.
12

Turn right onto West Mallard Creek Church Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Mallard Creek Church Road
Use the right lane.
13

Turn left onto US 29

2.2 mi · 3 min · North Tryon Street
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on US 29

6.7 mi · 9 min · Concord Parkway South
Use the straight lane.
15

Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West

1.0 mi · 1 min · Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the right lane.
16

Enter roundabout onto Cabarrus Avenue West

156 ft · 3 sec · Cabarrus Avenue West
17

Continue on Cabarrus Avenue West

0.9 mi · 2 min · Cabarrus Avenue West
18

Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest

409 ft · 11 sec · Spring Street Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Arrive at destination

Spring Street Southwest

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in and county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Charlotte, NC

31 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.

Popular next leg

Charlotte, NC to Concord, NC

21.7 mi · 34m

Pacing Suggestions

Bessemer City, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Belmont, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Elizabeth City, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 12.4 and 49.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
12.4 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanbur...
8
12.5 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte
5
13.3 mi into trip | ~17m in | I 85 / Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway

Merge onto I 85 / Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
49.4 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward Mallard Creek Church Road East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 46A Toward Mallard Creek Church Road East
5
49.7 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in | West Mallard Creek Church Road

Turn right onto West Mallard Creek Church Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.63 one way

$19.27 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $10.53 $21.07
premium $4.70 $11.40 $22.80
diesel $5.61 $13.60 $27.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.5 0 $6.47 $2.96
Efficient EV 15.4 0 $5.39 $2.46
EV Truck/SUV 24.6 0 $8.62 $3.94

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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Elizabeth City, NC

Morning in Elizabeth City on Sunday

Local time

6:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Concord, NC

Morning in Concord on Sunday

Local time

6:07 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

5 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 20m 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 turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. With only 11% of the trip consisting of highway driving, you will spend the vast majority of your time navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 18.4 miles while crossing the Cameron Morrison Bridge, which provides a brief reprieve from the more frequent turns. The overall character of this route is defined by its winding nature, which keeps the experience engaging behind the wheel. Prepare for a road that shifts constantly, requiring you to stay alert as you transition between the various state-named highways.

Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on Cameron Morrison Bridge.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 12.4 miles in.

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 61.6 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 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 miles (I 85 / Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.

Between Elizabeth City, NC and Concord, NC, road signs point toward Spartanburg, Charlotte and Mallard Creek Church Road East.

Spartanburg

12.4 mi in | ~16m

Charlotte

12.5 mi in | ~16m

Mallard Creek Church Road East

49.4 mi in | ~1h 1m

About the Cities

Arriving 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 20m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on Cameron Morrison Bridge. 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 Concord, 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 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 miles (I 85 / Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Concord, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Concord, NC to Elizabeth City, NC

Plan the drive back the other way.

63 mi 1h 21m

Explore more options from Elizabeth City, NC or browse trips ending in Concord, NC.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.