I-77 or "the 77"? (Charlotte, Huntersville: live, design, directions)

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Where I've lived before, people said "I-77" but I've noticed some on the board write "the 77." What do most people use? I've read that to say "the 77" or whatever number, is a California thing. Is it common in Charlotte? Will I have to remember something else new?

[SunnyKayak]

I am native and I and everyone I been around from here drops the I for interstates.

I am in Huntersville now off 77 and I came from the Triad an hour north of Charlotte and I can remember when they built the 85 and we always reference it old 85 or new 85 but the old is actually buisness 85

If your referring to a highway to someone like take exit 18 off 77 they should know what you mean or any other interstate.
On the new 485 it has an outer loop and a inner loop and I totally get that but when beltloops have east or west or north or south I have trouble figuring which way to go since a belt loop does a circle.

But I have own a GPS for about 2 months I let "Cletus" tell me which way to go.

[Barkingowl]

77 is how I say it, but when I post I'll normally write Rt. 77 for the benefit of new folks.

[the 7 oh 4]

Agree with the above posters....people just say

77, 85, 277, 485....the interstates in Charlotte.

[brokensky]

Anyone who says "The 77" is from somewhere else and not a native. I noticed when I moved to the midwest, people referred to interstates and highways differently than I was used to. So it is a regional thing. Like here I would say - Hwy. 70, or Hwy. 10, and in the midwest, people said "70 highway" and "number 10 highway."

[sandchug]

"Cletus"? Oh my goodness, that I have to hear! I'm laughing just thinking about it!

I'm a Virginian, and I too tend to drop the "I" and strictly say the number. Most Charlotteans seem to be able to follow me okay when I do it that way. I have, however, heard the Californian way out here too. I think it's more a matter of where you're from than where you are.

[jenn02674]

I too am a native and have never noticed natives saying the 77. I do drop the I unless I am writing directions.

[amploud]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Where I've lived before, people said "I-77" but I've noticed some on the board write "the 77." What do most people use? I've read that to say "the 77" or whatever number, is a California thing. Is it common in Charlotte? Will I have to remember something else new?

Adding "the" in front of a highway is a western thing I believe. Folks in LA talk about "the 5" or "the 10."

[Megax]

Originally Posted by amploud

Adding "the" in front of a highway is a western thing I believe. Folks in LA talk about "the 5" or "the 10."

I agree.

Dropping the "I" is normal, but adding "the" is not.

[flyingscotsman]

very intersting, I am from the UK and the motorwyd there have M designations and we use them.

Here though I usually drop the I and say 77, 26, 485 etc etc