Proper way to address an interstate name.

Someone I was talking to brought an interesting form of speech people from my area use.

When we speak about an interstate like 95 or 81 or whatever, we tend to put "the" in front of the name.
Example:
"Take the 81 north to the 690, head east and then take the off ramp to the I90 and head west to exit 42"

I figure that since the interstate is a noun it should have "the" before it when used in a sentence.
Other people think that it is not proper to use "the" in front of an interstate name when addressing it.

What do you think is proper?

 

[Aves]

I think it depends on where you live. In LA they always say "the" like "the 405" but in Alabama it's always I, like I-20.

The only person I know of in my area that says "the" first is Skoorb.

 

[Shawn]

always I-#

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

 

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

 

[imported_Strang]

In Seattle, it's just "405" or "I-5", although we have enough former Californians around to still get "the 405." 😉

 

[notfred]

If you live in southern california use "the", anywhere else: no "the".

 

[MDE]

Then it'd be state-# (ex Illinois-43).

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

Same thing, depends on the place. Growing up in CA people always said "the 101" whereas here in Alabama they just say the number like "411" or "take 280".

I think I prefer "the" but it's probably because that's what I grew up around.

 

[Bulk Beef]

Just numbers, no "the". Californians and British are the only ones I've heard that use "the."

 

[Bryophyte]

If it's a number, then no "the", if it's the alternate name for the highway, then use "the"

For example, Hwy 26 is also called the Sunset Highway.

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

If it's a state route, then the propper name is SR-## 😉 or the state abbreviation -## (ex: UT-189); Or simply call it highway 189

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

no the.

example, take 41 north.

 

Originally posted by: Beau

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

If it's a state route, then the propper name is SR-## 😉 or the state abbreviation -## (ex: UT-189); Or simply call it highway 189

Right, they all have route numbers assigned.

Though is using THE before a route number improper english?

Or is it just a regional thing, like pop and soda?

 

[MrDingleDangle]

in southern california its "the"...everyplace else its w/o the "the"

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: Beau

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

If it's a state route, then the propper name is SR-## 😉 or the state abbreviation -## (ex: UT-189); Or simply call it highway 189

Right, they all have route numbers assigned.

Though is using THE before a route number improper english?

Or is it just a regional thing, like pop and soda?

Propbably a regional thing. In Utah, I've never heard anyone say 'the 15' or 'the 215', but when I lived in Cali, everyone addressed the highways in that manner.

 

[Nanotech]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Someone I was talking to brought an interesting form of speech people from my area use.

When we speak about an interstate like 95 or 81 or whatever, we tend to put "the" in front of the name.
Example:
"Take the 81 north to the 690, head east and then take the off ramp to the I90 and head west to exit 42"

I figure that since the interstate is a noun it should have "the" before it when used in a sentence.
Other people think that it is not proper to use "the" in front of an interstate name when addressing it.

What do you think is proper?

I always thought it was plain common sense to not refer to Intersates as "the" but rather "I" as in:

"Take I81 north to I690, head east and then take the off ramp to I90 and head west to exit 42"

That way if there are a Highway 81 (H81), Interstate 81 (I81), and Route 81 (R81) all in the same vicinity you don't risk confusing anyone.

 

[Jzero]

No "the."
Consider other street names.
I don't tell you to come down the North Lane and then make a left onto the Main street which will turn into the Landis Drive and dead end at the Watercress Road.

 

[FoBoT]

in the midwest (here in missouri anyway)

they refer to highways bass-ackwards, they put the number before highway

so out west you would drive down "Highway 50" , but here you take "50 Highway"

i have gotten used to it, if you say it the right way, they know you are from out of state

 

[yukichigai]

If you put the Route abbreviation in front of it -- e.g. "I-80", "SR 431", etc. -- I don't think you should say "the". Same with saying the route name. (e.g. "Interstate 80") Otherwise it's entirely your call.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

just the number, usually.


of course, in houston we name most of our highways.

the hempstead highway (US 290) goes to hempstead
the katy freeway (I-10 west) goes to katy
the southwest freeway (US 59 south) goes southwest, to victoria
the gulf freeway (I-45 south) goes to the gulf of mexico
the beast (I-10 east) goes to baytown (baytown east freeway)
the eastex freeway (US 59 North) goes to east texas (which is northeast of houston)
the north freeway (I-45 north) goes north toward dallas
the tomball parkway goes toward tomball.
the loop is I-610
the beltway is beltway 8 (which is a county toll road).
the hardy tollroad parallels 45 north
the westpark tollroad runs between the katy freeway and the southwest freeway
there are a couple of numbered highways that don't really have names, yet. 288 and one that goes to san jancinto bay. they'll have names soon enough.

 

[WhiteKnight]

Even though the route may be a noun, by using a number to designate it you are treating the number as the route's name, a proper noun. Therefore, you should say it without the "the". You wouldn't say, "I am driving the Bob to work today," would you?

 

I always thought it was plain common sense to not refer to Intersates as "the" but rather "I" as in:

"Take I81 north to I690, head east and then take the off ramp to I90 and head west to exit 42"

That way if there are a Highway 81 (H81), Interstate 81 (I81), and Route 81 (R81) all in the same vicinity you don't risk confusing anyone.

I've been all over the US and have never come across that. The conventions they use to name highways doesn't allow for that mishap in most areas.

No "the."
Consider other street names.
I don't tell you to come down the North Lane and then make a left onto the Main street which will turn into the Landis Drive and dead end at the Watercress Road.

The other street names have a proper name which makes the use of "the" pointless. Some highways have proper names as someone else referred to in this thread.
You wouldn't call your friend, the brian or whatever.

 

[Ryuson99]

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

thats how we say it in NYC

 

[Ikonomi]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: iloveme2
always I-#

Ok, and if there is no interstate.

Say it's a state route, with no I designation before it.

just the number, usually.


of course, in houston we name most of our highways.

the hempstead highway (US 290) goes to hempstead
the katy freeway (I-10 west) goes to katy
the southwest freeway (US 59 south) goes southwest, to victoria
the gulf freeway (I-45 south) goes to the gulf of mexico
the beast (I-10 east) goes to baytown (baytown east freeway)
the eastex freeway (US 59 North) goes to east texas (which is northeast of houston)
the north freeway (I-45 north) goes north toward dallas
the tomball parkway goes toward tomball.
the loop is I-610
the beltway is beltway 8 (which is a county toll road).
the hardy tollroad parallels 45 north
the westpark tollroad runs between the katy freeway and the southwest freeway
there are a couple of numbered highways that don't really have names, yet. 288 and one that goes to san jancinto bay. they'll have names soon enough.

288 is the south freeway, isn't it? Anyway, I've been told by out-of-towners that the freeway names are really confusing. 😛 Take 610 (the 610?), for instance -- it's all one big circle, but its sections are called the west loop, the south loop, etc. And then you have locations like "west loop south".