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Trip from Green Level, NC to Cary, NC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 4m

Distance

48.5 mi

78 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
0h 59m ★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m

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

Downtown Green Level, NC, NC

Green Level, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Downtown Cary, NC, NC

Cary, NC

C k

Trip Overview

The drive from Green Level, NC to Cary, NC covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 40, North Harrison Avenue, Trollingwood Hawfields Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 38.9 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.58 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 4m highway drive covering 48.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and North Harrison Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 38.9 miles on I 40.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 38.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and North Harrison Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Hilldale Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (Hilldale Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Greenway Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (Trollingwood Hawfields Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Hilldale Street

Turn left onto Hilldale Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Greenway Street

Turn right onto Greenway Street

Navigation decision point

5
4.3 mi into trip | ~9m in | Trollingwood Hawfields Road

Turn right onto Trollingwood Hawfields Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
16.3 mi into trip | ~24m in | I 40

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Raleigh

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 40 East: Raleigh
6
45.1 mi into trip | ~57m in

Take the exit toward Cary

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Cary

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 38.9 mi 44m
North Harrison Avenue 3.1 mi 5m
Trollingwood Hawfields Road 1.7 mi 3m
Stone Street 1.6 mi 2m
Roxboro Street 0.9 mi 2m
North NC 49 0.7 mi 1m
North Wilkins Road 0.5 mi 1m
Greenway Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 38.9 mi, about 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Green Level, NC and Cary, NC.

1

Start on Evergreen Avenue

180 ft · 13 sec · Evergreen Avenue
2

Turn left onto Hilldale Street

0.1 mi · 33 sec · Hilldale Street
3

Turn left onto Pinebrook Drive

351 ft · 17 sec · Pinebrook Drive
4

Turn right onto Greenway Street

0.2 mi · 54 sec · Greenway Street
5

At end of road, turn left onto NC 49

0.7 mi · 1 min · North NC 49
6

Continue on NC 49

0.9 mi · 2 min · Roxboro Street
7

Turn left onto Bason Road

57 ft · 1 sec · Bason Road
8

Turn right onto North Wilkins Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Wilkins Road
9

Continue on Trollingwood Road

449 ft · 15 sec · Trollingwood Road
10

Turn left onto Stone Street

1.6 mi · 2 min · Stone Street
11

Turn right onto Trollingwood Hawfields Road

1.7 mi · 3 min · Trollingwood Hawfields Road
Use the straight lane.
12

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Use the left lane.
13

Merge onto I 40; I 85

10 mi · 11 min · I 40; I 85
Use the straight lane.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

29 mi · 33 min · I 40
Toward I 40 East: Raleigh Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward Cary Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Turn right onto SR 1652

3.1 mi · 5 min · North Harrison Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto Chapel Hill Road

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
18

Turn left onto North Academy Street

24 ft · 0 sec · North Academy Street
19

Arrive at destination

North Academy Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 24.3 mi from Green Level, NC · 33m into the drive

town in North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Carrboro, NC

24 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

Mebane, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Carrboro, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Green Level, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cary, NC

The final approach into Cary, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.58 one way

$15.17 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $8.29 $16.59
premium $4.70 $8.98 $17.95
diesel $5.61 $10.71 $21.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.09 $2.33
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.24 $1.94
EV Truck/SUV 19.4 0 $6.79 $3.10

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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

Green Level, NC

Morning in Green Level on Thursday

Local time

7:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cary, NC

Morning in Cary on Thursday

Local time

7:35 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

3 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 4m 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 Green Level, NC to Cary, NC covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, North Harrison Avenue, Trollingwood Hawfields Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.3 miles from Green Level, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.58 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Hilldale Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Greenway Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (Trollingwood Hawfields Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Green Level, NC to Cary, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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