Eastgate Mall bridge, I-805 in San Diego

[agentsteel53]

how did this seemingly minor road earn such an expensive-looking bridge over the canyon and freeway? 

was it much more important in 1971 when the bridge was built?

[TheStranger]

Here's a 1964 overhead of the Eastgate Mall area:
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.25314548864802E-05&lat=32.881320472528&lon=-117.203200714895&year=1964

Doesn't look all that developed 8 years later:
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.25314548864802E-05&lat=32.881320472528&lon=-117.203200714895&year=1972

[ARMOURERERIC]

For all the shopping trips I have made to that area and for all the times I have driven across Miramar Road, I keep forgetting that mall is even there.

[citrus]

From this 1972 map: http://public.csusm.edu/kovri001/1970s_Resources.html#72Merge, it looks like it was an old alignment of Miramar Road.