Do you refer to state roads as "Route" or "Highway"? (directions, driving)

[kehkou]

Originally Posted by Southern man

Highways are paved roads. Everything else is a dirt road.

In NM, several State Highways are unpaved. Also, a highway has to go somewhere and not just carry local traffic.

[jtur88]

Part Two: If you prefer "route", to you pronounce it /root/ or rowt/?

If you prefer "highway", do you call it "highway 80" or "80 highway"?

Or just "The 80"?

Anybody still use "trunk" or "pike"?

My dad, from Missouri, pronounced it /rowt/ and county roads were "trunks, like "Trunk A-W".

[crystalballmagic]

Highway or interstate.

[kehkou]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Part Two: If you prefer "route", to you pronounce it /root/ or rowt/?

If you prefer "highway", do you call it "highway 80" or "80 highway"?

Or just "The 80"?

Anybody still use "trunk" or "pike"?

My dad, from Missouri, pronounced it /rowt/ and county roads were "trunks, like "Trunk A-W".

We use "root" for highways, like Route 66, and "rowt" for things like bus routes. (Here, bus route 66 is actually on US Route 66)

I've heard "The 40" before, but "Eye-40" is more common. Other highways are usually referered to in speech with letters, as in "US 60" or "NM 45".

[pnwguy2]

I love the differences! In WA State everything is called "SR", as in SR 99, or SR 520. Plus they place it on a backdrop of George Washington! However you don't have to go far to get different designations. In Idaho, it is simply "state highway" with a distinct outline of the state. Oregon seems pretty generic, CA has their own jargon, not so much with an insignia but a simple rounded triangle that respresents a state highway. Other states use their own colors, such as Wyoming, with a yellow box. This is just the west...I'm sure other states have their own way of designating state highways.

[MillennialUrbanist]

In the Chicago area, the general consensus is this:

Interstates are called "expressways" as a preferred local term, although "highway" is also understood (usually used by out-of-towners and foreign immigrants). Virtually nobody says "freeway", although "tollway" is used for actual tollways.
They're usually referred to by their local names, rather than numbers. The news media uses names exclusively. But both are widely known and understood, and no one looks are you funny for saying "I-90", rather than "Kennedy Expressway". The definite article is never used when referring to an expressway by its number.

US routes (shield signs) and state routes (square signs) are referred to as "Route ##", or simply "the ##" or "##", if the road is widely known in a local area. Oftentimes, they're used interchangeably with the street name they're a part of.
As general rule, names more common in inner suburbs, and almost exclusive within Chicago (to the point of not knowing the route number), and route numbers are more common in outer suburbs.
"US", "state", or "Illinois" is never specified, except when giving very explicit directions. (Or grumbling about who forgot to plow the snow. )

Another thing: "highway" can be part of a city street name, even when it looks nothing like a highway. Example: Northwest Hwy. has stoplights and storefronts. Regular streets are never referred to as "highway" otherwise.

[pnwguy2]

The bottom line here is there is only one standard, the US Interstates. Everything else is based on state law, and that is what is what is so interesting. I truely believe for highway fans, this is the most fascintating aspects of auto travel today, beyond getting off the main freeways and exploring that exisited back in the the 50's.

[ABQConvict]

Route. |root|

I only use 'highway' for limited access roads.

[theraven24]

Here in California, we put "the" in front of the names. For example, "THE 10," "THE 405," "THE 101," etc. Sometimes "freeway" is added, but very rarely.

[CurlyFries]

I call them "routes", I only call them highways if it's either an Interstate or if the road is divided like one.