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Comment by irrational | Hacker News Reader

Rt. 5? Do you mean I-5? I'm curious if using "Rt." instead of "I-" is a regional thing. Where are you located? Typically Rt. would only be used for a small state road, not a major interstate highway.

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It's a regional thing. In New England, we call Interstate 95 "Route 95", Interstate 93 is "Route 93", etc. US Route 20 that stretches from Boston to Oregon is "Route 20". And both the US Route 3 that goes north from Boston through New Hampshire, and MA Route 3 that goes south from Boston down to Cape Cod are called "Route 3".

> In New England, we call Interstate 95 "Route 95",

Actually, in the Boston area, it's "Route 128." Despite it never being indicated as such at exits or on maps.

The correct title for Californians is "The 5".

> The correct title for Californians is "The 5".

You have omitted the rather important qualifier “Southern” from your description, as that usage is a key differentiator between Northern and Southern California.

I live in the bay area and everyone I know calls it "I-5". "Everyone I know" of course could be biased though as most of my circle did not grow up in California.

“In Southern California, the definite article “the” gets placed before just about every freeway or highway, whereas in the Bay Area just the numbers are said.”

— https://www.kcbx.org/post/how-you-refer-us-101-says-lot-abou...

I lived in Southern California (Orange County) in the 70s and 80s. We called I-5 the 5. Same for the 405, the 101, the 15, the 10, the 99. Also, we called State Route 1 (aka Highway 1) PCH no matter where it was located in the state, even though SR1 only has the Pacific Coast Highway designation between Oxnard and Dana Point.

I moved to Northern California (Santa Clara County) in the late 80s and I still use the same monikers. If I take a trip to Big Sur, I tell folks I am going to take the 17 to PCH and drive down. Old habits die hard.

https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/the-5-the-101-the-405-why...

It's used interchangeably for the number of any road, at least in my experience. It certainly gave appropriate responses when I tested it out.

Where do you live? It sounds like this is a regional thing in the NE? I live in the PNW and in my 50 years I’ve never heard anyone use route in place of I-.

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