Origin
West Raleigh, NC
Afternoon in West Raleigh on Saturday
Local time
3:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Raleigh, NC to Wilsons Mills, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
28.7 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Raleigh, NC
Evgeniia Belman
Wilsons Mills, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
West Raleigh, NC to Wilsons Mills, NC is 28.7 miles and takes about 37 minutes via Thomas Bradshaw Freeway and US 70, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, one-day trip stays within North Carolina's Southeast region. It's a straightforward drive that doesn't require much planning, making it ideal for a quick errand or a brief scenic detour. You'll find it's a practical option for connecting these two points without extensive travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| US 70 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Western Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Saunders Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Pullen Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Swift Creek Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Dawson Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
— 10.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Raleigh, NC and Wilsons Mills, 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 right at fork onto I 42
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
Exit 309
Toward I 42 East: Smithfield, Goldsboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 70
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 70
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
17
Turn slight left onto Swift Creek Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Swift Creek Road
18
Turn right onto Wilson's Mills Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Wilson's Mills Road
19
Turn left onto Fire Department Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Fire Department Road
20
Arrive at destination
Fire Department Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 14.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge onto I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
14.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 42 / Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 42 / Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway toward I 42 East: Smithfield, Goldsboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 309
Toward I 42 East: Smithfield, Goldsboro
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.49 one way
$8.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.91 | $9.81 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.31 | $10.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.34 | $12.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Wilsons Mills, NC
Afternoon in Wilsons Mills on Saturday
Local time
3:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
10 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
37m 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?
About half of this 28.7-mile route, 47%, is highway driving. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 10.8 miles on the Thomas Bradshaw Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a mixed drive profile with some highway cruising and some time on less direct roads. The transition from freeway to surface roads likely means more intersections and varying speed limits.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.8 mi on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 28.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Wilsons Mills, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Goldsboro along the way.
Goldsboro
14.5 mi in
|
~19m
|
via I 42
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 28.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.8 miles on Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Wilsons Mills, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.2 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wilsons Mills, 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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