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Trip from West Raleigh, NC to Clinton, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 21m

Distance

64.9 mi

104 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

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

Downtown West Raleigh, NC, NC

West Raleigh, NC

Evgeniia Belman

Downtown Clinton, NC, NC

Clinton, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

The drive from West Raleigh, NC to Clinton, NC covers 64.9 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 40, Hobbton Highway, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.1 miles on I 40. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.15 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 64.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 21m highway drive covering 64.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and Hobbton Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 32.1 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 25 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 32.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Hobbton Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Pullen Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.9 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.2 miles (Pullen Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.7 miles (Western Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Pullen Road

Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | Western Boulevard

Turn left onto Western Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
3.4 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit

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

Use the left lane.
6
14.5 mi into trip | ~19m in | I 40

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
16.6 mi into trip | ~22m in

Keep slight right at fork toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from West Raleigh, NC to Clinton, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Wilmington along the way.

Wilmington

18.3 mi in | ~24m | via I 40

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 32.1 mi 34m
Hobbton Highway 14.5 mi 20m
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway 10.8 mi 12m
Western Boulevard 1.4 mi 2m
Beaman Street 1.1 mi 2m
South Saunders Street 0.8 mi 1m
Pullen Road 0.6 mi 1m
South Dawson Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 32.1 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between West Raleigh, NC and Clinton, NC.

1

Start on Enterprise Street

44 ft · 3 sec · Enterprise Street
2

Turn left onto Hillsborough Street

401 ft · 13 sec · Hillsborough Street
3

Turn slight right

104 ft · 6 sec
4

Turn right onto Pullen Road

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Pullen Road
5

Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road

76 ft · 2 sec · Pullen Road
6

Continue on Pullen Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Pullen Road
7

Turn left onto Western Boulevard

1.4 mi · 2 min · Western Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
8

Turn slight right

0.2 mi · 24 sec
9

Turn straight onto US 70; US 401; NC 50

0.4 mi · 44 sec · South Dawson Street
10

Continue on US 70; US 401; NC 50

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Saunders Street
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Use the left lane.
12

Merge onto I 40; US 64

2.6 mi · 3 min · Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

8.1 mi · 9 min · Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 40

2.1 mi · 2 min · I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork

1.7 mi · 1 min
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Merge onto I 40

30 mi · 32 min · I 40
Toward I 40 East: Benson, Wilmington
17

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward US 701: Clinton
18

Turn right onto US 701

15 mi · 20 min · Hobbton Highway
19

Continue on US 701 Business

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Smithfield Road
20

Turn right onto Dixon Street

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Dixon Street
21

Continue on Beaman Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · Beaman Street
22

Turn right onto Vance Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Vance Street
23

Turn left onto Court Street

212 ft · 14 sec · Court Street
24

Turn left onto Main Street

10 ft · 0 sec · Main Street
25

Arrive at destination

Main Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32.5 mi from West Raleigh, NC · 39m into the drive

town in North Carolina

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Clayton, NC

32 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

Clayton, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Benson, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.5 miles from West Raleigh, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Clinton, NC

The final approach into Clinton, 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

$10.15 one way

$20.30 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $11.10 $22.19
premium $4.70 $12.01 $24.02
diesel $5.61 $14.33 $28.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.5 0 $6.81 $3.12
Efficient EV 16.2 0 $5.68 $2.60
EV Truck/SUV 26 0 $9.09 $4.15

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 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 17, 2026

Origin

West Raleigh, NC

Afternoon in West Raleigh on Friday

Local time

1:55 PM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Clinton, NC

Afternoon in Clinton on Friday

Local time

1:55 PM

EDT

Current temp

84°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

25 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 21m 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 West Raleigh, NC to Clinton, NC covers 64.9 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 40, Hobbton Highway, Thomas Bradshaw 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 32.5 miles from West Raleigh, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.15 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 64.9 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 0.2 miles (Pullen Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.7 miles (Western Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from West Raleigh, NC to Clinton, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Wilmington along the way.

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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