Names vs. Numbers on highways

[TheStranger]

I think the first freeway to go without a name in the LA area is the 605 - built in the mid-1960s, they didn't bother calling it the San Gabriel River Freeway, even though that was the most sensible name for it.

IIRC, there are signs along I-605 naming the freeway just that. I know the Thomas Guides call the freeway the San Gabriel River Freeway.

The freeway name is signed:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigmikelakers/1806935499/

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

In Ohio, people tend to refer to freeways & highways by the number instead of the name.  Ohioans refer to the highway by the number alone (instead of "The ..." or "I-..."), and will say something like "Take 670 west to 315 north and then 270 east to 23 north".   There is no distinction made between interstate, US, and state routes, but thanks to the exclusive (non-duplicity) numbering system, it's not necessary. 

Though in the case of Columbus, highways within the outerbelt are refered to by name.  You don't say US 23, you say High St or Morse Rd, or Indianola Ave, or 4th or 3rd St.  Unless the road is a freeway, thus "no name," we'll use the name of the street.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

In (and around) Philadelphia, only numbers you'll hear is I-95, 202, 422, 322, and US 1 (south from the Blue Route and north from the Turnpike).
Everything else has a name.
In Jersey, I-295, 42, 55 (not sure about I-76/676). Everything else named.

[thenetwork]

In the Cleveland Area, most freeways are referred by route number and most surface streets are referred by name.

Exceptions:

I-90 through downtown is referred to as The Innerbelt
I-90 between SR 2 and I-271 is referred to as The Euclid (/Wickliffe) Spur
I-90 between The Innerbelt and E. 140th St. is referred to as The East Shoreway
SR 2 between I-90 in Euclid and roughly SR 91/SR 640 in Eastlake is referred to as The Lakeland Freeway
SR 2 between The Innerbelt and Lake Avenue is referred to as The West Shoreway
And The Ohio Turnpike is referred to as The Turnpike

The majority of the aforementioned named freeways are known as their names due to the multiplexes on said freeways.  

[PAHighways]

It's either name or number or in some cases both in Pittsburgh.  I-70 and I-79 are just that, the three 3dis and PTC roadways are always referenced by their names, and PA 28 and PA 65 are either "Route ##" or their name(s).

[deathtopumpkins]

Total mix here in Hampton Roads...
I-64 is always called "64", I-664 "664" (except the bridge-tunnels, which are always referred to by name). However, 2 of the named freeways, the MLK Fwy (US 58) and Western Fwy (VA 164) are called by their names, but the Humelsine Pkwy, Va Beach - Norfolk Expy, and Hampton Roads Beltway are not.
However, US 258 is always just "Mercury [Blvd]", VA 169 "Fox Hill [Rd]", US 58 "Virginia Beach Blvd", and VA 143 "Jefferson [Ave]".
And US 60 is called "Route 60", as are VA 5 (John Tyler Hwy - I have heard a few people who live on it call it that, but most don't) and US 17 (George Washington Memorial Hwy)
Oh and despite VDOT's intentions, the Hampton Roads Beltway NEVER gets any mention as such.

[florida]

In Orlando.....
-The toll roads, except the Turnpike, are called by their numbers (408, 417, 528, 429).
-Orange Blossom Trail is OBT (north and south added, if no major intersecting road is stated along with it)
-FL 50 is mostly referred to as Colonial (West and East added to describe which part of town, if no major intersecting road is stated along with it)
-436 is used more than its name, Semoran Blvd
-434 is the collective name for that road, but it can be called Alafaya south of Oviedo.
-US 17/92 is acknowledged only as a duplex; its triplexes go by their respective street names.
-I-4 is I-4, not common to just call it "4".
-Other numbered routes are just known for their street names, for the most part. (You won't hear someone say "423 and 438" instead of "John Young and Princeton".)

[realjd]

^^^
And of course Orlando is probably the only place other than Southern California where people often refer to freeways with "the", as in "the 408". This only applies to the toll roads. I-4 is, as you stated, always I-4.

And people here in Brevard still often call 528 "The Beeline".

[florida]

^^^
And of course Orlando is probably the only place other than Southern California where people often refer to freeways with "the", as in "the 408". This only applies to the toll roads. I-4 is, as you stated, always I-4.

And people here in Brevard still often call 528 "The Beeline".

Absolutely! There is no shortage of "the" toll roads around here.

[realjd]

And to add to the discussion, here in Brevard County, it's a mix based on local custom:
US-192 is always 192 (no US and not New Haven Ave.)
SR-520 is always 520 (again, just the number).
US-1 is always US1 (with the US and never Harbor City Blvd)
SR-A1A is always A1A
All other roads are called by the local name. You'll never hear someone call Babcock St. SR507, or Palm Bay Road CR516 for instance.

The bridges are usually referred to by the bridge name, not road name or highway number.

Northerners sometime come here and call them all "route", and you'll see some of the more stupid ones (almost always from NJ I'll bet) write 192 as "1-92".

[agentsteel53]

Northerners sometime come here and call them all "route", and you'll see some of the more stupid ones (almost always from NJ I'll bet) write 192 as "1-92".

not 1&92? 

[hm insulators]

^^^
And of course Orlando is probably the only place other than Southern California where people often refer to freeways with "the", as in "the 408". This only applies to the toll roads. I-4 is, as you stated, always I-4.

They do that here in Phoenix; the traffic reporter "Detour Dan" will talk about "the 17" or "the 60." The exceptions are the two main loop freeways, Loop 101 and Loop 202. Because the loop freeways have different names depending on what stretch you're talking about, he'll refer to "the 101/Price/Pima Freeway" for the segment running from I-17 east, then south through Scottsdale and Tempe, for example, or "the 101/Agua Fria Freeway" for the section running west of I-17, then bending south through Peoria and Glendale to tie into I-10. Loop 202 is "the 202/Red Mountain Freeway" or "the 202/San Tan Freeway" depending on if it's north or south of the 60. (Confused? It helps to have a road map of the Phoenix area.)

the quote doctor makes a house call...

[florida]

Northerners sometime come here and call them all "route", and you'll see some of the more stupid ones (almost always from NJ I'll bet) write 192 as "1-92".

not 1&92? 

Wouldn't 1&9-2 better state a bypass/alternate of 1&9?

[agentsteel53]

Wouldn't 1&9-2 better state a bypass/alternate of 1&9?

no, that would be A1&9A.  or, on the gulf coast, G1&9A.

[SignBridge]

Standard practice in New York State is to use only the route number on most signs, as per the Manual. However there is an exception in the five-boroughs of New York City. Most BGS's there have both the route shield and route name on the top line of the sign (as was also seen in Los Angeles). This deal between NYC and NYSDOT has been for over 40 years, since the 1960's.

Interesting history there. Prior to the BGS era that began circa 1960, all signing in NYC was by road name only. With the coming of the 1964 Worlds Fair, there was a major rebuilding of highways in Queens including upgrading of existing ones to Interstate status. When the new signing went up with numbers only there was a serious revolt in the NYC media. New Yorkers just couldn't accept the infamous Long Island Expwy. being signed as only "495"  or the Brooklyn-Queens Expwy. as just "278". So after several years of controversy NYSDOT finally agreed to post both number and name in NYC only, (not on Long Island). A major resigning project was done circa 1972 and the practice continues in the present era.

And I might add, New Yorkers continue to refer to these roads as the "L.I.E." and the "B.Q.E."         

[tmthyvs]

Some long-time Denverites still refer to I-25 south of downtown as "the Valley Highway" (which was its name prior to becoming a segment of the interstate).  US 36 between Denver and Boulder is commonly referred to as "the Turnpike" (because when it was first built it was a toll road).  Most people refer to US 6 west of downtown as "6th Avenue".  US 285 between I-25 and Santa Fe Dr (US 85) is usually just called "Hampden" (even though it's actually aligned with Jefferson through part of Englewood, few people are aware of that.  They think of 285 as "Hampden", wheras the actual Hampden Av. is referred to as "Old Hampden").  Even west of Santa Fe, some people still refer to US 285 as Hampden, but where it becomes a freeway, it seems people are more likely to refer to it by number.

That got my brain jogging sufficiently- yeah I hear it referred to it as the Turnpike too. Another one in that area would be SH-119, often called "The Diagonal"

And there's another in there: US-85 through Englewood and Littleton is always called Santa Fe Drive. Not to mention the other state highways that run on streets (Wadsworth, Kipling, Sheridan, Colorado,...)

[sandiaman]

How about  highways  named after entertainers or  celebrities?  Presidential  or political names do  not count.
    The  most obvious  first:  Elvis Presley Blvd in Memphis,TN
                                       Andy Devine  Ave in Kingman,AZ
                                       Don Knotts Blvd  in Morgantown, WV
                                       Rex Allen Drive in Willcox, AZ
                                       Garth Brooks Blvd in Yukon, OK
                                       Lee Trevino  Drive  in El Paso,TX
                                       Frank Sinatra Drive in Palm Desert, CA
                                       Gene  Autry  Trail in Palm  Springs, CA
   OTHERS  ????????????

[huskeroadgeek]

A couple I know of:
Porter Wagoner Blvd. in West Plains, MO.
Buck Owens Blvd. in Bakersfield, CA

[mightyace]

Wilma Rudolph Blvd., Clarksville, TN

[allniter89]

Isn't there also a Danny Thomas Drive in Memphis?
I'm waiting to see of there is a "who is" Danny Thomas question next.
1996 Univ of FL quarterback and  Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel  has the southern part of  FL 293 near Destin, FL named for him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Wuerffel

[CityBoy1986]

Two from my hometown of Columbia, Mississippi:  Walter Payton Drive and Eagle Day Ave. (which is a renamed part of Park Ave. and will be referred to by residents as such until sometime in the 2080s).

[citrustaco]

On I-65 from just before Lafayette, through downtown, and to I-465 south, the highway is signed as Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds highway.  But NO ONE calls it that.  It's pretty much a joke around here.  Many people will use "the dogleg" for the I-865 section and the I-65/I-70 merge are known as "the splits" and the actual splits are either the north split or south split.

I'm curious about circuit loops.  Some use beltway, some use inner and outer loops.  Some may use clock notation.  We use two directions.  Direction and side.  I-465 northbound on the east side.

[agentsteel53]

Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds

really?  he's nowhere near dead.  he's not even old.  he's in the prime of his life.  he's 51 and actively making music.

don't you have to at least be over the hill to have something named after you??

I don't think any musician younger than Keith Richards should have anything named after him until Keith Richards dies.  (Which may never actually happen.)

[rawmustard]

really?  he's nowhere near dead.  he's not even old.  he's in the prime of his life.  he's 51 and actively making music.

Gosh, I didn't realize Babyface was already 51

don't you have to at least be over the hill to have something named after you??

There was a bill introduced in the Michigan Senate to name part of I-475 the "Mark Ingram Memorial Highway," despite the fact that the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner is very much alive and well. (FWIW, the floor summary and analysis show it as the "Mark V. Ingram II Freeway," so one can hope the actual bill's text has been amended despite not being shown on the page to which I linked.)

[huskeroadgeek]

Isn't there also a Danny Thomas Drive in Memphis?

Yes(Danny Thomas Blvd.), and in fact it is part of US 51 just like Elvis Presley Blvd. It runs right by the St. Jude Children's Hospital that he founded(right at the I-40 interchange just E. of downtown).