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Trip from Pine Level, 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 11m

Distance

59.6 mi

96 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Fair

2 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 6m ★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Pine Level, NC, NC

Pine Level, NC

Lauri Poldre

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion from Pine Level to Durham, you are looking at a straightforward 59.6-mile journey that takes approximately 1 hour and 11 minutes. This drive is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as the distance is short enough to handle in one go without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $10 on fuel, making it a very budget-friendly transit through North Carolina's Southeast region. Because you are traveling within the same state, the transition between these two points is seamless and manageable. Whether you are heading to the city for business or a change of scenery, the simplicity of this route allows for maximum flexibility in your scheduling.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 29.5 mi 33m
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway 10 mi 11m
US 70 8.9 mi 11m
Durham Freeway 6.7 mi 8m
Selma Pine Level Road 1.4 mi 1m
Crocker Street 1.3 mi 2m
West Main Street 0.4 mi <1m
South Roxboro Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 29.5 mi, about 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pine Level, NC and Durham, NC.

1

Start on North Peedin Avenue

66 ft · 4 sec · North Peedin Avenue
2

Turn right onto West Main Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · West Main Street
3

Continue on Selma Pine Level Road

1.4 mi · 1 min · Selma Pine Level Road
4

Continue on East Anderson Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · East Anderson Street
5

Turn left onto Crocker Street

1.3 mi · 2 min · Crocker Street
6

At end of road, turn left onto Ricks Road

140 ft · 3 sec · Ricks Road
7

Take the ramp

194 ft · 5 sec
8

Merge onto US 70

8.9 mi · 11 min · US 70
9

Continue on I 42

10.0 mi · 11 min · Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
10

Merge onto I 40

30 mi · 33 min · I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 44 sec
Exit 279B Toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto I 885

4.1 mi · 4 min · Durham Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

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.
14

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Jackie Robinson Drive
16

Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business

0.3 mi · 48 sec · South Roxboro Street
Use the right lane.
17

Turn left onto East Main Street

100 ft · 2 sec · East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18

Arrive at destination

East Main Street

Where to Stop

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

Downtown West Raleigh, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West Raleigh, NC

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.

Popular next leg

West Raleigh, NC to Durham, NC

22.5 mi · 27m

Pacing Suggestions

Clayton, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Raleigh, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from Pine Level, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 51.6 and 59.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
51.6 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 279B Toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
8
56.4 mi into trip | ~1h 6m 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
59 mi into trip | ~1h 10m 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
59.2 mi into trip | ~1h 11m 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.
6
59.6 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in | East Main Street

Turn left onto East Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.32 one way

$18.64 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $10.19 $20.38
premium $4.70 $11.03 $22.06
diesel $5.61 $13.16 $26.32

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 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 17.9 0 $6.26 $2.86
Efficient EV 14.9 0 $5.22 $2.38
EV Truck/SUV 23.8 0 $8.34 $3.81

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Pine Level, NC

Late night in Pine Level on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Durham, NC

Late night in Durham on Sunday

Local time

1:59 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 11m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 76% of your time spent on major thoroughfares like I-40, US-70, and the Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway. You will spend a significant portion of the trip on I-40, which features a longest uninterrupted stretch of 29.5 miles. While the route offers a mix of high-speed interstate travel and local bypasses, the overall personality is efficient and functional rather than winding or technical. You can expect a consistent pace throughout the drive, allowing you to settle in behind the wheel for a productive, low-stress transit. The transition between fast-moving highway segments and bypasses keeps the drive moving steadily from start to finish.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.5 mi on I 40.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 51.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.4 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 59 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

461 ft 154 ft

Total Climb

537 ft

Total Descent

302 ft

Highest Point

461 ft

~38.3 mi in

Elevation Range

308 ft

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 11m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 29.5 miles on I 40. 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 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.4 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 59 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Pine Level, NC or browse trips ending in Durham, NC.

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