Maybe it's just how I read this sentence, but I think "Raleigh is 50 road miles closer to Atlanta than it is to NYC" cleared things up for me.

Regardless, that's a really interesting fun fact I learned today.

That doesn't mean 50 minutes closer, though. To get to NYC you have to drive up I95 through such fun spots as the whole DC metro.

I'm surprised to see this as well. Alternatively: by road, Raleigh is equidistant from Philadelphia and Atlanta.