Origin
Goldsboro, NC
Late night in Goldsboro on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Goldsboro, 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
1h 18m
Distance
60.9 mi
98 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Goldsboro, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
Goldsboro, NC to Cary, NC is 60.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 18 minutes via I 40 and US 70, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. You'll encounter a predominantly highway-focused experience, making it a straightforward and efficient trip. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 18.3 mi | 20m |
| US 70 | 17.4 mi | 24m |
| US 70 BYP | 10.1 mi | 12m |
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | 10 mi | 11m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Grantham Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| North George Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Ash Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 18.3 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Goldsboro, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on US 70 Business; US 117 Business
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
East Ash Street
2
Enter roundabout onto US 70 Business; US 117 Business
169 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Ash Street
3
Continue on US 70 Business; US 117 Business
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Ash Street
4
Turn right onto US 70 Business
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
North George Street
5
Turn left onto US 70 Business
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Grantham Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 70
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
US 70
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 70
10 mi
·
14 min
·
US 70
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 70
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 70
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 70 BYP
10 mi
·
12 min
·
US 70 BYP
10
Continue on I 42
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
11
Merge onto I 40
18 mi
·
20 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto NC 54
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto North Academy Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
15
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.5 miles from Goldsboro, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 58.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 70 Business; US 117 Business / West Ash Street
Enter roundabout onto US 70 Business; US 117 Business / West Ash Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 70 Business / Grantham Street
Turn left onto US 70 Business / Grantham Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
40.2 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
58.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m 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
58.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Turn left onto NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.52 one way
$19.05 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.41 | $20.83 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.27 | $22.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.45 | $26.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.39 | $2.92 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.53 | $3.90 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
2:02 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
1h 18m 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 route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 75% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll experience stretches of faster travel, including a significant 18.3-mile segment on I 40. The drive transitions between major highways like I 40 and US 70, offering a consistent pace for most of the trip. Expect this to be a practical and direct journey rather than one marked by winding backroads or frequent changes in scenery.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 70. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 70 Business; US 117 Business / West Ash Street.
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 60.9 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 0.2 miles (US 70 Business; US 117 Business / West Ash Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (US 70 Business / Grantham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Goldsboro, NC
Full guide →Goldsboro is a rapidly growing town in Wayne County, on the North Carolina Coastal Plain, near the Research Triangle. The city has nearly 36,000 residents (2016) with a growing commercial and suburban lifestyle. This city is home to F-15E fighter wing housed at Seymour Johnson AFB, and is the hometown of Andy Griffith.
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 18m. Total distance: 60.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.3 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Cary, 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 0.2 miles (US 70 Business; US 117 Business / West Ash Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (US 70 Business / Grantham Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles (I 40): 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 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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