Origin
Red Oak, NC
Late night in Red Oak on Sunday
Local time
4:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Red Oak, 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 13m
Distance
62.3 mi
100 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Red Oak, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
Traveling from Red Oak to Cary covers 62.3 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 13 minutes. This straightforward trip is perfectly suited as a single-day excursion, as it remains entirely within North Carolina’s Southeast region. You can expect to spend roughly $10 on fuel for the journey, making it a very economical commute. By utilizing the US 64 Bypass and the Dan K Moore Freeway, you avoid the need for complex detours or overnight stops. Whether you are heading to the Research Triangle area for business or pleasure, this route offers a reliable and efficient connection between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 64 Bypass | 41.5 mi | 44m |
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Red Oak Road | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| I 87 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Red Oak Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Academy Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
US 64 Bypass
— 41.5 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Red Oak, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on NC 43
49 ft
·
4 sec
·
Red Oak Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Red Oak Road
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Red Oak Road
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
4
Merge onto US 64 Bypass
42 mi
·
44 min
·
US 64 Bypass
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
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 31.1 miles from Red Oak, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 62.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 64 Bypass
Merge onto US 64 Bypass
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
49.7 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
59.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m 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
60 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Turn left onto NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
62.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
North Academy Street
Turn right onto North Academy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.74 one way
$19.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.65 | $21.30 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.53 | $23.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.76 | $27.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.54 | $2.99 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.72 | $3.99 |
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
Cary, NC
Late night in Cary on Sunday
Local time
4:44 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
21 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 13m 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, as 87% of this trip is spent on high-speed roads. The drive features a significant 41.5-mile stretch along the US 64 Bypass, which allows you to maintain a steady pace for the majority of the trip. While you will navigate local connections like Red Oak Road, the character of the journey is dominated by efficient, multi-lane thoroughfares. You won't find yourself dealing with technical, winding backroads, as the route is engineered for speed and directness. It is a functional drive that prioritizes getting you to your destination with minimal interruption.
87% 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: 41.5 mi on US 64 Bypass.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 64 Bypass and Dan K Moore Freeway. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near US 64 Bypass.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 62.3 miles you will encounter 7 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 5.5 miles (US 64 Bypass): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.7 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 59.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 62.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.5 miles on US 64 Bypass. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 5.5 miles (US 64 Bypass): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.7 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 59.8 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 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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