Origin
Rocky Mount, NC
Evening in Rocky Mount on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
71.6 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rocky Mount, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Apex, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC covers 71.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Hill Street, Arlington Street, Atlantic Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.20 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
35.8 miles from Rocky Mount, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 35m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 10m drive with frequent turns across 71.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hill Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC is easy. At 1h 10m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hill Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Arlington Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Atlantic Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dan K Moore Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 440 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 1 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Claude E | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Hill Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rocky Mount, NC and Apex, NC.
1
Start on Cokey Road
427 ft
·
19 sec
·
Cokey Road
2
Turn sharp right onto Hill Street
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Hill Street
3
Turn right onto Arlington Street
174 ft
·
4 sec
·
Arlington Street
4
Keep slight left to continue on Arlington Street
269 ft
·
7 sec
·
Arlington Street
5
Continue on Atlantic Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Atlantic Avenue
6
Take the ramp slight right
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
7
Merge slight left
51 mi
·
55 min
8
Merge slight left
2.7 mi
·
3 min
9
Merge slight left onto Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
10
Continue on Dan K Moore Freeway
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
11
Continue on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
12
Continue on Dan K Moore Freeway
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dan K Moore Freeway
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 440 East, US 1, US 64 West: Raleigh, Wake Forest, Sanford, Asheboro
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 440 East, US 1, US 64 West: Raleigh, Wake Forest, Sanford, Asheboro
14
Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro
15
Keep slight right to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 1 South, US 64 West: Cary, Asheboro
16
Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford, Asheboro
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford, Asheboro
17
Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro
18
Keep slight left to continue on US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
US 1 South, US 64 West: Apex, Sanford, Asheboro
19
Merge slight left onto Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
20
Take the exit slight right toward Ten Ten Road
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Ten Ten Road
21
Turn left onto Center Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Center Street
22
At the end of the road, turn right onto North Salem Street
52 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Salem Street
23
Arrive at your destination
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 35.8 miles from Rocky Mount, NC, or about 35m into the drive.
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 71.6 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.8 miles or 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Apex, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Rocky Mount, 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 Rocky Mount, NC
This is one driving day of about 71.6 miles and 1h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rocky Mount, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.8 mi from Rocky Mount, NC · 35m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 71.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Rocky Mount, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Apex, NC
The final approach into Apex, 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 Apex, 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
$11.20 one way
$22.39 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.24 | $24.48 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.25 | $26.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.81 | $31.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.02 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Apex, NC
Evening in Apex on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 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 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 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC covers 71.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hill Street, Arlington Street, Atlantic Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.8 miles from Rocky Mount, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.20 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.
The drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC is easy. At 1h 10m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rocky Mount, NC to Apex, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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