Origin
Durham, NC
Afternoon in Durham on Saturday
Local time
1:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Durham, NC to Carrboro, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
12.4 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carrboro, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Durham, NC to Carrboro, NC is 12.4 miles and takes about 27m via US 15 Business, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, straightforward trip stays within North Carolina, connecting two communities in the Southeast region. Given its brevity, it's an easy drive to fit into any schedule, whether you're heading out for a quick errand or starting a larger journey. You won't spend much time on the road, making it ideal for those seeking a simple, direct connection between these two nearby points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 15 Business | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| East Franklin Street | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| Fordham Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| University Drive | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Rosemary Street | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| East Main Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| South Mangum Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Lakewood Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 15 Business
— 4.9 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Durham, NC and Carrboro, NC.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mangum Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
West Lakewood Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on US 15 Business; US 501 Business
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
University Drive
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 15 Business; US 501 Business
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
US 15 Business; US 501 Business
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on US 15; US 501
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Fordham Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn slight right onto East Franklin Street
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
East Franklin Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto Hillsborough Street
368 ft
·
20 sec
·
Hillsborough Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto East Rosemary Street
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
East Rosemary Street
Use the left lane.
10
Turn straight onto East Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on West Main Street
70 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 15 Business; US 501 Business / West Lakewood Avenue
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / West Lakewood Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
3
8.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
East Franklin Street
Turn slight right onto East Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Hillsborough Street
Turn right onto Hillsborough Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
10.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
East Rosemary Street
Turn left onto East Rosemary Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.94 one way
$3.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.12 | $4.24 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.29 | $4.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.74 | $5.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Carrboro, NC
Afternoon in Carrboro on Saturday
Local time
1:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
27m 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 drive offers a mixed experience, with about 40% of the journey on highway stretches. You'll navigate primarily on US 15 Business and East Franklin Street, experiencing a blend of quicker travel and more local road conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.9 miles along US 15 Business. As you approach Carrboro, expect the character of the drive to shift slightly, becoming more integrated with local traffic and town access.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on US 15 Business.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street.
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 12.4 miles you will encounter 6 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 0.1 miles (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / West Lakewood Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (East Franklin Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 12.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on US 15 Business. 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 0.1 miles (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / West Lakewood Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (East Franklin Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carrboro, NC before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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