Origin
Knightdale, NC
Late night in Knightdale on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Knightdale, 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
30m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Knightdale, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
This straightforward 23.8-mile drive from Knightdale, NC, to Cary, NC, is easily manageable in about 30 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route primarily utilizes major highways like I-87 and the Dan K Moore Freeway, with an 81% highway share. Given the short distance and estimated fuel cost of $4, you won't need to budget much for this journey. Since both locations are within the Southeast region of North Carolina, you won't experience significant regional changes. It's a quick hop that doesn't require an overnight stay, offering a convenient way to travel between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 87 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| South Smithfield Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Railroad Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Academy Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 87
— 9.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Knightdale, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on Railroad Street
442 ft
·
26 sec
·
Railroad Street
2
Turn left onto South Smithfield Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Smithfield Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Raleigh
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 87; US 64; US 264
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 87; US 64; US 264
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 87; I 440; US 64
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 87; I 440; US 64
6
Merge onto I 40; US 64
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 40; US 64
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
8
Continue on I 40; US 64
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
9
Continue on I 40; US 64
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto NC 54
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto North Academy Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
13
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 21.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Raleigh
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 87 South, US 64 West, US 264 West: Ral...
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 87; US 64; US 264
Merge onto I 87; US 64; US 264
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
11.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge onto I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
21.3 mi into trip
|
~26m 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
21.6 mi into trip
|
~26m 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
$3.72 one way
$7.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.40 | $8.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
12:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny
NW 3 to 8 mph
1% chance
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
40 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
30m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this trip. With 81% of the route on major roads such as I-87 and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, you'll experience consistent speeds and minimal traffic interruptions. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 9.3 miles on I-87, allowing for a good period of steady driving. This profile suggests a relatively smooth and predictable journey, primarily characterized by freeway conditions rather than winding backroads. The focus is on efficient travel between Knightdale and Cary.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on I 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 87 and Dan K Moore Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles (I 87; US 64; US 264): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on I 87. 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 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 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2 miles (I 87; US 64; US 264): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): 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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