Origin
Clayton, NC
Afternoon in Clayton on Sunday
Local time
2:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clayton, NC to Durham, NC
Drive Time
53m
Distance
41.6 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
Clayton, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Clayton, NC to Durham, NC covers 41.6 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dan K Moore Freeway, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, Durham Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.1 miles on Dan K Moore Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
20.8 miles from Clayton, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 28m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 53m highway drive covering 41.6 miles, with most of the trip on Dan K Moore Freeway and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 17.1 miles on Dan K Moore Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dan K Moore Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Dan K Moore Freeway and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33.7 miles in.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 41.6 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 33.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
33.7 mi into trip
|
~43m 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
38.5 mi into trip
|
~48m 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
41.1 mi into trip
|
~52m 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
41.3 mi into trip
|
~52m 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
41.6 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan K Moore Freeway | 17.1 mi | 19m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| Durham Freeway | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| US 70 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Clayton Boulevard | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| North Lombard Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Barbour Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan K Moore Freeway
— 17.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on North Lombard Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lombard Street
2
Turn right onto Hamby Street
427 ft
·
15 sec
·
Hamby Street
3
Turn left onto Barbour Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Barbour Street
4
Turn straight onto US 70
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Clayton Boulevard
Use the none lane.
5
Continue on US 70
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
US 70
Use the none lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 40 West: Raleigh
7
Merge onto I 40
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 40; US 64
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the none lane.
9
Continue on I 40; US 64
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
10
Continue on I 40; US 64
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
Use the straight lane.
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 none lane.
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
Trip Plan
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 20.8 miles from Clayton, NC, or about 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.1 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 41.6 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 20.8 miles or 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Durham, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clayton, 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 Clayton, NC
This is one driving day of about 41.6 miles and 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Clayton, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Dan K Moore Freeway for about 17.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.8 mi from Clayton, NC · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Clayton, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Durham, NC
The final approach into Durham, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Durham, NC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.66 one way
$13.32 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.25 | $14.51 |
| premium | $4.78 | $7.83 | $15.65 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $9.24 | $18.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$32–$57
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Durham, NC
Afternoon in Durham on Sunday
Local time
2:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
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
53m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Clayton, NC to Durham, NC covers 41.6 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dan K Moore Freeway, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, Durham Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.8 miles from Clayton, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.66 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 41.6 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 33.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Clayton, NC to Durham, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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