Origin
Knightdale, NC
Late night in Knightdale on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Knightdale, NC to Raleigh, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
14.1 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Knightdale, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 14.1-mile drive from Knightdale, NC, to Raleigh, NC, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 20 minutes. You'll primarily be on I-87, with portions of South Smithfield Road and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. Given its short distance and low fuel cost of around $2, this route is ideal for a spontaneous or brief excursion. The drive is focused on highway travel, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B within the Southeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 87 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| South Smithfield Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Rock Quarry Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Wilmington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Railroad Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East South 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 Raleigh, 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
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Rock Quarry Road
9
Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Rock Quarry Road
10
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
East South Street
13
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 13.9 — 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.
6
11.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
5
12.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
13.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
South Wilmington Street
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.20 one way
$4.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.41 | $4.82 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.61 | $5.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.11 | $6.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Raleigh, NC
Late night in Raleigh on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
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 highway-focused experience for most of this 14.1-mile journey, with 69% of the drive on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.3 miles on I-87, offering a consistent pace. While primarily on the interstate, you'll also navigate sections of South Smithfield Road and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, which may offer a slight change of scenery and pace as you approach your destination. The overall feel is one of efficient travel on well-maintained roadways.
69% 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?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 87 and South Smithfield Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 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 14.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 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 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Knightdale, NC to Raleigh, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Quarry Rd North along the way.
Rock Quarry Rd North
11.7 mi in
|
~15m
About the Cities
Arriving in Raleigh, NC
Full guide →The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.
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 20m. Total distance: 14.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). 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 Raleigh, 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 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Raleigh, 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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