West Raleigh, NC to Midway, NC is 102.3 miles and takes about 2h 10m via Dan K. Moore Frwy and I 40, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. You'll primarily be on surface roads for this drive. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable trip for anyone looking for a straightforward route.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.2 miles from West Raleigh, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dan K. Moore Frwy
61.5 mi
1h 11m
US 29
18.6 mi
20m
I 40
7.7 mi
9m
Midway School Road
7.5 mi
18m
Wade Avenue
3.7 mi
4m
Hillsborough Street
1.3 mi
2m
NC 109
1.1 mi
1m
Faircloth Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dan K. Moore Frwy
— 61.5 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Raleigh, NC and Midway, NC.
1
Start on Enterprise Street
44 ft·7 sec·Enterprise Street
2
Turn right onto Hillsborough Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Hillsborough Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
107 ft·1 sec·Hillsborough Street
4
Continue on Hillsborough Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·Hillsborough Street
5
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
90 ft·1 sec·Hillsborough Street
6
Continue on Hillsborough Street
0.2 mi·23 sec·Hillsborough Street
7
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
99 ft·2 sec·Hillsborough Street
8
Continue on Hillsborough Street
0.4 mi·48 sec·Hillsborough Street
9
Turn right onto Faircloth Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Faircloth Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Wade Avenue
0.4 mi·51 sec·Wade Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on Wade Avenue
3.3 mi·3 min·Wade Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Merge onto I 40
62 mi·1 hr 11 min·Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi·9 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29
5.4 mi·5 min·US 29
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: CharlotteUse the left lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29
9.3 mi·10 min·US 29
Toward US 29 SouthUse the slight right lane.
16
Continue on US 29
3.9 mi·4 min·US 29
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
18
Turn right onto NC 109
1.1 mi·1 min·NC 109
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn left onto Midway School Road
3.2 mi·7 min·Midway School Road
20
Continue on Midway School Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Midway School Road
21
Enter roundabout onto Midway School Road
94 ft·2 sec·Midway School Road
22
Continue on Midway School Road
3.5 mi·8 min·Midway School Road
23
At end of road, turn right onto Old US Hwy 52
24 ft·0 sec·Old US Hwy 52
24
Arrive at destination
Old US Hwy 52
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 10m duration, you can easily complete this drive in a single day. Leaving in the morning will give you plenty of time to reach Midway, NC, without feeling rushed. Since the route is mostly surface roads, you might encounter more local traffic, so factor that into your timing. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $16, and it's always wise to top off before heading out, especially when transitioning from highway to surface roads. There are no designated stops noted, so plan for any breaks you might need.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.2 miles from West Raleigh, NC, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 23 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.2 miles or 1h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Midway, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Raleigh, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from West Raleigh, NC
This is one driving day of about 102.3 miles and 2h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from West Raleigh, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dan K. Moore Frwy for about 61.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 80.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Hillsborough Street
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in|Wade Avenue
Turn left onto Wade Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
67 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
74.7 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|US 29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29 toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70...
7
80.1 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|US 29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29 toward US 29 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 29 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.00 one way
$31.99 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$17.49
$34.98
premium
$4.70
$18.93
$37.87
diesel
$5.61
$22.59
$45.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
2 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Regency Centers Midtown East (Raleigh, NC)
Raleigh, NC
Electrify America
10 DCFC
Shoppes at Garner
Raleigh, NC
eVgo Network
2 DCFC
Electrify America: 1
eVgo Network: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.7
0
$10.74
$4.91
Efficient EV
25.6
0
$8.95
$4.09
EV Truck/SUV
40.9
0
$14.32
$6.55
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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 17, 2026
Origin
West Raleigh, NC
Late night
in West Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Midway, NC
Late night
in Midway on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Graham, NC
51 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
10 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
2h 10m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with about 27% of the route on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch on a highway is 61.5 miles on the Dan K. Moore Frwy. After that, you'll transition to surface roads, so be prepared for more frequent intersections and potentially slower speeds as you approach your destination.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.5 mi on Dan K. Moore Frwy.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Hillsborough Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 102.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Hillsborough Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.8 miles (Wade Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 67 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 10m. Total distance: 102.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.5 miles on Dan K. Moore Frwy. 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 Midway, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Hillsborough Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.8 miles (Wade Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 67 miles (I 40): 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 Midway, NC before heading back.
