I'm now seeing occasional usage of "the" in the southeast: "Sorry, traffic was backed up on the I-77." I'm not sure if that's the influence of much of the media

I'm now seeing occasional usage of "the" in the southeast: "Sorry, traffic was backed up on the I-77." I'm not sure if that's the influence of much of the media we absorb being created in Los Angeles, or California expats spreading it. I'm not really a fan of it.