Origin
Kenly, NC
Morning in Kenly on Sunday
Local time
10:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kenly, 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
1h 20m
Distance
61.7 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
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.
Kenly, NC
R9 Media Photo Collective
Trip Overview
This 61.7-mile drive from Kenly, NC to Durham, NC takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily travel on the Northern Wake Expressway, West 2nd Street, and the Durham Freeway. With a fuel cost estimated at $10, this route is quite budget-friendly for a short excursion within the Southeast region. The mixed drive profile means you'll experience a variety of road types. Since it's a straightforward, relatively short journey, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Wake Expressway | 20.8 mi | 22m |
| West 2nd Street | 7.6 mi | 10m |
| Durham Freeway | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| Antioch Church Road | 5 mi | 6m |
| T.W. Alexander Drive | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Lake Wendell Road | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Smithfield Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Old Johnson Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Northern Wake Expressway
— 20.8 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kenly, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on this road
43 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 301
208 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Church Street
3
Turn right onto NC 222
7.6 mi
·
10 min
·
West 2nd Street
4
Turn left onto NC 42; NC 222
293 ft
·
7 sec
·
NC 42; NC 222
5
Continue on NC 222
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
NC 222
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto Crockers Nub Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Crockers Nub Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto Antioch Church Road
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Antioch Church Road
8
Turn right onto Thanksgiving Fire Road
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Thanksgiving Fire Road
9
Continue on SR 1720
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Applewhite Road
10
Turn left onto Old Johnson Road
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Old Johnson Road
11
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Wendell Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Wendell Road
12
At end of road, turn right onto Buffalo Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Buffalo Road
13
Turn left onto Lake Wendell Road
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Wendell Road
14
Continue on State Road 2508
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
State Road 2508
15
Continue on Bissette Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Bissette Road
16
Turn right onto Smithfield Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Smithfield Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Raleigh
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Merge onto I 87; US 64; US 264
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 87; US 64; US 264
19
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 7
Toward I-540 West: Wake Forest, RDU Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 540
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Northern Wake Expressway
Use the straight lane.
21
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 70 West: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto US 70
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Glenwood Avenue
23
Turn left onto T.W. Alexander Drive
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
T.W. Alexander Drive
Use the straight lane.
24
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 885 North: Durham
Use the right lane.
25
Merge onto I 885
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Durham Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
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.
27
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
29
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the right lane.
30
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
31
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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.
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 30.8 miles from Kenly, 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 235 decision points cluster between mile 26.8 and 61.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
26.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Turn left toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Raleigh
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Ral...
8
28.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward I-540 West: Wake Forest, RDU Airport
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 7
Toward I-540 West: Wake Forest, RDU Airport
8
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m 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
61.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m 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
61.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.65 one way
$19.30 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.55 | $21.10 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.42 | $22.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.62 | $27.25 |
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 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.64 | $3.95 |
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
Durham, NC
Morning in Durham on Sunday
Local time
10:17 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
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?
This drive offers a mixed driving experience, with 46% of the route being highway. You'll encounter stretches of faster-paced roads, including a continuous 20.8-mile segment on the Northern Wake Expressway. As you progress, the road will transition, likely involving more local road driving as you approach your destination. Expect a blend of efficient travel on the expressway and potentially more varied conditions on city streets. This combination provides a dynamic feel behind the wheel, moving from open road to more developed areas.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.8 mi on Northern Wake Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 26.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.7 miles you will encounter 23 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 26.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.5 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Kenly, NC to Durham, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Rdu Airport along the way.
Rdu Airport
28.6 mi in
|
~40m
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 1h 20m. Total distance: 61.7 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.8 miles on Northern Wake Expressway. 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 26.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.5 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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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