Origin
Wilmington, NC
Evening in Wilmington on Thursday
Local time
8:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to Piney Green, NC
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 29m
Distance
64.6 mi
104 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Piney Green, NC
Halil İbrahim Özcan
Trip Overview
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Piney Green, NC covers 64.6 miles and takes about 1h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway, Market Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.1 miles on US 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 64.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 29m highway drive covering 64.6 miles, with most of the trip on US 17 and John Jay Burney Jr Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 30.1 miles on US 17.
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.
US 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 30.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and John Jay Burney Jr Freeway. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 17; US 76; US 421.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 64.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 (US 17; US 76; US 421): Navigation decision point; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.7 miles (NC 24; NC 53; I 397 / Ronald W. Reagan Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 17; US 76; US 421
Turn right onto US 17; US 76; US 421
Navigation decision point
6
5.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 140 East: Topsail Island, Jacksonville, New Bern
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 140 East: Topsail Island, Jacksonville...
4
58.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
NC 24; NC 53; I 397 / Ronald W. Reagan Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 24; NC 53; I 397 / Ronald W. Reagan Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
64.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
6
64.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
|
NC 24 / Freedom Way
At end of road, turn uturn onto NC 24 / Freedom Way
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Wilmington, NC and Piney Green, NC, road signs point toward Jacksonville and New Bern.
Jacksonville
5.2 mi in
|
~7m
New Bern
5.2 mi in
|
~7m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 30.1 mi | 41m |
| John Jay Burney Jr Freeway | 11.8 mi | 12m |
| Market Street | 9.1 mi | 14m |
| Lejeune Boulevard | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| US 421 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Ronald W. Reagan Freeway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| KIA/MIA/POW Freeway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Louis W. Sewell, Jr. Bridge | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 30.1 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Piney Green, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business
372 ft
·
14 sec
·
South 3rd Street
2
Continue on US 17 Business
508 ft
·
23 sec
·
South 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 17; US 76; US 421
4
Take the exit onto US 421
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
US 421
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 140 East: Topsail Island, Jacksonville, New Bern
6
Merge onto I 140
12 mi
·
12 min
·
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
7
Continue on US 17
9.1 mi
·
14 min
·
Market Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 17; NC 210
29 mi
·
39 min
·
US 17; NC 210
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 17; I 97
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
US 17; I 97
10
Merge onto US 17; NC 24; I 97
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
KIA/MIA/POW Freeway
11
Continue on US 17; NC 24; I 97
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Louis W. Sewell, Jr. Bridge
12
Continue on US 17; NC 24; I 97
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald W. Reagan Freeway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 24; NC 53; I 397
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
·
Ronald W. Reagan Freeway
14
Merge onto NC 24; NC 53
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Lejeune Boulevard
15
Turn left onto Piney Green Road
309 ft
·
9 sec
·
Piney Green Road
16
Turn right
39 ft
·
5 sec
17
Turn right
264 ft
·
21 sec
18
At end of road, turn uturn onto NC 24
171 ft
·
7 sec
·
Freedom Way
19
Arrive at destination
NC 24
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.3 mi from Wilmington, NC · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Wilmington, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Piney Green, NC
The final approach into Piney Green, 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
$10.10 one way
$20.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.05 | $22.09 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.96 | $23.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.26 | $28.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 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 | 19.4 | 0 | $6.78 | $3.10 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.65 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.04 | $4.13 |
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.
Destination
Piney Green, NC
Evening in Piney Green on Thursday
Local time
8:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Hampstead, NC
32 mi in
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
27 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 29m 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 Wilmington, NC to Piney Green, NC covers 64.6 miles and takes about 1h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway, Market Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.3 miles from Wilmington, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.10 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 64.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 (US 17; US 76; US 421): Navigation decision point; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 58.7 miles (NC 24; NC 53; I 397 / Ronald W. Reagan Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Between Wilmington, NC and Piney Green, NC, road signs point toward Jacksonville and New Bern.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Moores Creek National Battlefield.
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