Central CA people: do you say "the XXX [freeway]" or just "XXX"?

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by jeffredo

I lived for a few years not too far north of it in the San Joaquin Valley (Fresno) and traveled all over the length of the valley related to my job and no one... no one said "the" 99 or "the" 5. Also lived in Monterey County and it was never done there either (its 101, not "the" 101 in Salinas).

I lived in Visalia for about six years and the company I worked for did business in cities along the 99 from Modesto to Bakersfield and I've heard a lot of people use "the" before the freeway/highway.

[MB8abovetherim]

Isn't it because in SoCal the freeways originally had names? The Golden State Freeway, The Santa Monica Freeway, The San Diego freeway, the Harbor freeway, the Century freeway....etc. Thus over the years of properly referring to the freeways changed when usage of the name finally went away. Despite the use of the official names being less, "the" has stuck around.

That's how it was explained to me.

[pistola916]

It's a mix between the two. Really depends on what comes out of my mouth. Sometimes I;ll say "hop on 80 or hop on the 80" or "Catch the 5" or "Take the 50" or "get on the 50". I don't really see why its a big deal.

[jeffredo]

Originally Posted by pistola916

I don't really see why its a big deal.

Its not, and you're the only person I've heard of in NorCal that does it. Are you from here originally?

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by MB8abovetherim

Isn't it because in SoCal the freeways originally had names? The Golden State Freeway, The Santa Monica Freeway, The San Diego freeway, the Harbor freeway, the Century freeway....etc. Thus over the years of properly referring to the freeways changed when usage of the name finally went away. Despite the use of the official names being less, "the" has stuck around.

That's how it was explained to me.

The names never went away. They are still called by those names. Then again you can just say "Ventura Highway" in reference to the 101. You know how it is, "Ventura Highway in the sunshine, where the days are longer, the nights are stronger than moonshine, your gonna go i know" (Thank you Dewey)

[BobsGL1800]

Originally Posted by justinbro2002

I rarely use "The" to refer to a highway when I do it is usually to be humerous. Just like when I say I am going to "The" walmart.

Just about as bad as " the orange county".

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by jeffredo

Its not, and you're the only person I've heard of in NorCal that does it. Are you from here originally?

I agree with you. Nobody, in NorCal uses "the" to describe their freeways. As far as I know, nobody in Central Cal from both the coast to the Central Valley use "the" to describe their freeways. Once you pass the Grapvine on 5, does the I-5 become "the" 5.

I'm from NorCal, but I lived in both LA and SD for many years. When I'm in SoCal, I automatically talk in the vernacular using "the" to describe "the" 405, "the" 5, "the" 101, "the" 10, etc.

It's kind of refreshing because it shows you how seriously LA takes it freeways. LA built the best freeways in the world and still has the best and most extensive freeway system in the world.

[Chimérique]

The use of "the" comes from the naming of the freeways. In LA, There was a time when people were more likely to use the name of the freeway more than the number of the freeway. For example, "The" San Diego Frwy is "The" 405.

More examples of LA Freeways:

"The" Ventura Frwy = "the" 101 and "the" 134. "The" San Diego Frwy = "the" 405.

"The" Santa Monica frwy = "the" 10, west of downtown. "The" San Bernardino Frwy is, also, "the" 10, but from downtown east).

"The" Harbor frwy = "the" 110, downtown south, "The" Hollywood frwy = "the" 101 and "the" 170).
"The" Golden State frwy = "the" 5, north of downtown, but also known as the "The" Santa Ana frwy south of downtown.

"The" Glendale frwy = "the" 2.........and so on and on and on...................The Pasadena frwy, The Simi Valley frwy, also know as the Reagan Frwy, The Marian Del Rey frwy, The Century frwy, The Orange, Artesia, Pomona, Corona Del Mar..........

I've noticed the use of the names has diminished except the use of "the" Hollywood Freeway, "the" Harbor Freeway, "the" Santa Monica Freeway, and "the" Ventura Freeway.

Alot of people (still) don't even know or ever use the number to describe "the" Hollywood Freeway.