Pronunciation of route numbers

[jdbx]

I have seen the mention of how in California people always append "the" to the beginning of a route number.  I think it's important to note that is strictly a Southern California thing.  Up here in the Bay Area, one of the quickest way to peg somebody as being from LA is when they call a road "The 80" or "The 101".  The common usage around here is to call most state routes "Highway", whether it is a freeway or not.  "Highway 24" or "Highway 4".  For Interstates and US-101, most people just call it by the number.  "One-oh-one" "Eighty" "Six Eighty" or our favorite "Two Thirty Eight"....  I have noticed that when people are talking about long-distance drives, you will hear them say "Highway 80" or "I-5" with about equal frequency. 

[707]

How is it elsewhere?

It's about the same here in Washington. People pronounce US 101 as "one-oh-one" and I-405 as "eye-four-oh-five", so not much is different. Basically, all highways that aren't Interstates are spoken as by number only. I heard that US 101 is pronounced as "the one-oh-one" and CA 1 being called "the PCH" or "coast highway" and not being pronounced by its number.

[right_said_ted]

I knew someone from Mansfield (Ohio) and I noticed that she consistently shortened Park Avenue to "Park Av" when she was speaking (pronouncing the abbreviation as if it were a word). I had forgotten all about it until this past weekend, when I was in Pittsburgh for a party and heard another guest (a resident of the 'burgh, possibly a native) say something about "Friendship Av"

Anyone else ever run into this one? Or is my friend just too lazy to pronounce a three-syllable word?

[NE2]

Mass Av.

[Alps]

Mass Av.

Comm Av.

[Bruce]

How is it elsewhere?

It's about the same here in Washington. People pronounce US 101 as "one-oh-one" and I-405 as "eye-four-oh-five", so not much is different. Basically, all highways that aren't Interstates are spoken as by number only. I heard that US 101 is pronounced as "the one-oh-one" and CA 1 being called "the PCH" or "coast highway" and not being pronounced by its number.

As another Washingtonian, I can confirm we call our highways by that. Sometimes, we'll use the name instead of route numbers, though (e.g. "Valley Freeway" instead of SR 167 or "Stevens Pass Highway" instead of US 2).

[1995hoo]

I've always pronounced "route" with the "ow" sound, as in "rout," never "root" (unless I decide to sing Springsteen's "Spirit in the Night" karaoke).

[djsinco]

Mass Av.

Comm Av.

Signs in NYC are even more concise. Overhead signs say "2 Av".

[SidS1045]

Mass Av.

Comm Av.

Doahchestah Av.

[tdindy88]

Signs in NYC are even more concise. Overhead signs say "2 Av".

I sure hope those aren't pronounced as "Two Av."

Note, I know they aren't. I've been in New York and I know the numbered streets and avenues are said the same as anywhere else. But I've always wondered why they are spelled that way.

[djsinco]

Signs in NYC are even more concise. Overhead signs say "2 Av".

I sure hope those aren't pronounced as "Two Av."

Note, I know they aren't. I've been in New York and I know the numbered streets and avenues are said the same as anywhere else. But I've always wondered why they are spelled that way.

Brevity

[Pete from Boston]

Mass Av.

Comm Av.

Doahchestah Av.

Correction: Dot Av.

[kphoger]

Signs in NYC are even more concise. Overhead signs say "2 Av".

I sure hope those aren't pronounced as "Two Av."

Note, I know they aren't. I've been in New York and I know the numbered streets and avenues are said the same as anywhere else. But I've always wondered why they are spelled that way.

Brevity

Seriously.  I doubt it ever confuses anyone.

[1995hoo]

Signs in NYC are even more concise. Overhead signs say "2 Av".

I sure hope those aren't pronounced as "Two Av."

Note, I know they aren't. I've been in New York and I know the numbered streets and avenues are said the same as anywhere else. But I've always wondered why they are spelled that way.

Conversely, I've always wondered why other cities don't sign them like New York. It's not as though people wouldn't understand it, and certainly people are familiar with things like the date being written without an ordinal clarifier ("April 2" instead of "April 2d," for example).