[CompSci87]

There is one interesting NoCal/SoCal phenomena that I've observed and it relates to the use of the article "the" with the major freeway used. Specifically, people in San Diego refer to the 5 freeway as "THE 5" and to the 101 as "101" ("I'm taking THE 5 to SF;" "I'm taking 101 to SF"). This use, at least from my observations, is reversed in Northern California ("Take THE 101 to Portland;" "Use 5 North to get to Eureka").

I don't hear anyone say THE 101 in the SF Bay area except folks who used to live in SoCal and picked it up there. Same with putting "the" before any other highway number.

[CompSci87]

There is one interesting NoCal/SoCal phenomena that I've observed and it relates to the use of the article "the" with the major freeway used. Specifically, people in San Diego refer to the 5 freeway as "THE 5" and to the 101 as "101" ("I'm taking THE 5 to SF;" "I'm taking 101 to SF"). This use, at least from my observations, is reversed in Northern California ("Take THE 101 to Portland;" "Use 5 North to get to Eureka").

I don't hear anyone say THE 101 in the SF Bay area except folks who used to live in SoCal and picked it up there. Same with putting "the" before any other highway number.