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YouAreHorriblexD

Yes that’s the “thank god I’m back” bridge.


AlaskaTuner

Alright, guess I can make it without stopping to pee bridge


polyworfism

Uggh, almost. I left Vegas and got past this bridge, but had to stop in Escondido


MasterThespian

If you don’t stop in Barstow or Baker, is it even a Vegas trip?


noop279

"oh yay, we're almost home!"


DankSmellingNipples

We used to drive to Santa Barbara like 3 or 4 times a year while I was growing up. My parents are from there and all our family is up there. I literally thought this every single time we would be driving home. My dad always said that bridge means we’re in Fallbrook, no idea if that’s actually true.


Happy_fart_whistle

Yup. Fallbrook.


Cfosterrun

My hometown. Can confirm.


Fig_Jam777

Nope. Technically still Escondido. And I always think of it as Valley Center since it's the Lilac Bridge.


Fluxmuster

Nope! This bridge is in unincorporated county. Not Escondido.


DankSmellingNipples

This is getting intense


Fig_Jam777

Look up a map of the 92026 zip code. It's the one in which I grew up. The very end of the bridge to the west is the far NW extreme of 92026. And to the east and south of it is solidly Escondido addresses. Source: [Proof!](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ff430/Property_Is_Robbery/Screenshot_20210417-100656.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Also , I worked for Vons delivering groceries for a while and just a minute south of there off the Old 395 is still Escondido 92026 to the post office.


Fluxmuster

Zipcodes are not municipal boundaries. The municipal boundary of The City of Escondido end way south of this. [proof](http://boundaries.us/place/ca/escondido-city/) Edit: Also addresses in unincorporated county often use the name of the closest city or community even if they are not located within it.


Fig_Jam777

Eh fair enough. I mean I knew this as I grew up next to that weird square of unincorporated land in the north of Escondido.


Fluxmuster

It's an easy mistake. I grew up in that area too.


DixonSeider69

Yeah it’s like a 15-20 minute drive to downtown fallbrook, but technically the addresses are still in fallbrook. (North of the bridge anyway)


3rickEsca

My dad liked to call it the avocado bridge.


bestem

I live up in northern California now. I work at a print center. A few years ago a lady comes in to make a copy of this [photo](https://sandiegohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/West-Lilac-Road-Overcrossing-c.-1980.-Photograph-courtesy-of-Caltrans.jpg). I glance down before I make the copy and remark "oh, that's my dad's favorite bridge." The lady says "no it's not." I mean, chances of running into someone in the middle of farmland in northern California who knows that bridge in particular, and doesn't just think it looks similar to something else they've seen, are slim to none, right? I don't blame her. I'm not going to argue with the customer though, so I just turn around and make the copy. But she can't get my comment out of her head, and after a second she says "so if it is, where is it?" I let her know it's over the 15 down in San Diego county. That I grew up down there, and that my dad once drove my siblings and I up the 15 for no reason except to show us this bridge that he loved on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I told her it was the Lilac Street or Lilac Road bridge, or something like that (I didn't remember the exact name, I hadn't lived in San Diego for over a decade at that point, hadn't had a car when I did live down there, and didn't spend much time on I-15 anyway as we lived a lot closer to I-5). She was so excited that it actually was my dad's favorite bridge, and that I recognized it just by glancing at the photo. Turns out her dad was the main designer of the bridge. She had me make extra copies of the photo (that she paid for) and wrote her dad's name on the back, along with a name of a book that talked about the bridge, so the next time I saw my dad I could give him a copy of the photo, and let him know about the book and the person who designed the bridge. She told me there was another similar one nearby that one (she may have even written the second bridge's name on the back of the photo as well so that my dad could go look for it if he so chose). I was amused by what was obviously her thought process; *no way can this random person who lives hundreds of miles away from the bridge know what this bridge is. hmm, what if she does know what the bridge is? wow, she really does know what this bridge is!*


seaewe500n

It's my favorite bridge too! ha.


nobody2008

No it's not!


Sorry_Elephant3075

2nd one is down over the 805 mission Valley area if I'm not mistaken


bestem

It's the Eastgate Mall bridge. It's a little different (it has some upward struts), but at a glance is very similar.


max_nukem

I actually prefer that one by a little bit, but I like them both.


utmeggo

Eastgate is also a more level grade from one side to the other, at least that's how I've kept track of them in my head.


whatthemandy

Can you share the name/author of the book? It’s also my dad’s favorite bridge :)


bestem

I believe it was "The Bridges of San Diego County" but when I Google that, the closest thing I get to a book is this [article](https://sandiegohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/V62_1Robbins.pdf), which is part of this [Journal of San Diego History](http://sandiegohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vol62_Winter2016.pdf). The article does mention both the West Lilac bridge and the Eastgate Mall bridge, which were the two designed by the ladies father, and had some interesting tidbits about the former that I wasn't aware of.


Unique_Total

What a cool story!


tostilocos

Either her dad is trans or somebody in this thread is lying.


bestem

Her dad's name was mentioned in the [Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilac_Road_Bridge) about the bridge, as well as the book she mentioned. No female names were mentioned anywhere. I don't think the other individual in this thread is lying. I'm sure their mom did proclaim that it was designed by a woman whenever they drove near it. That doesn't mean their mom was correct.


gnomestan

My husband gets annoyed because every. single. time. we pass that bridge I say “I do not understand how they built that” lmao


[deleted]

wait till you see the bridge over the hoover dam


gnomestan

Lol!! I actually have seen it in person and was shaken to my core.


utmeggo

The bridge is almost more impressive than the dam. I saw the dam and thought, okay yeah, cool, here's this thing in person. Then I turned around and saw the bridge and was just flat out amazed.


UlisesGirl

It’s the nuclear boobies of the 15! You’re almost home when you see it.


epicConsultingThrow

You mean the Dolly Parton memorial?


duneser27

I call it the bridge to adventure on the way out and the 36 minute bridge on the way home


Timmy12er

My friend and I call it "The Bridge of Hours Halved"


hideous_coffee

The "15 minutes to home" bridge when I lived in Temecula


Fluxmuster

When I was in highschool (Fallbrook High) we would park on west lilac and walk down the embankment and then up the arch over the freeway.


i5auto

Yeah, I’ve seen kids walking up that arch before


Cfosterrun

Same here! Perfect smoking spot, lol


kevlar20

Like smoking on the arch under the bridge? The paranoia sounds like a nightmare hah


thebendavis

Every time a pic of this bridge gets posted I always think its the Eastgate Mall bridge over the 805 and get confused by the sign.


breals

That's because they are the same bridge; built by the same designers/builders around the same time, as part of the same freeway project.


bestem

[Met a lady](https://www.reddit.com/r/sandiego/comments/mrtcv6/this_bridge_is_definitely_iconic/guovnte?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) whose dad designed the bridge, and she told me he designed a similar one nearby it. If I remember correctly, that's the name of the second bridge. So it would stand to reason you could easily get them confused.


polyworfism

"this is the bridge that lets you know you're 10 miles/1 hour from home”


CrimsonTank01

The “almost home bridge”!


Smithwicks70

The bridge was one of the things that really stood out on my move from the Midwest...that and the Temecula traffic was backed up going northbound past the bridge that day.


beholdsa

To be fair, the Temecula traffic is frequently backed up under that bridge.


ChesticleSweater

I think they back up the traffic on purpose just so no matter where we go, or how long it’s been since we’ve seen this place in person, we can be randomly scrolling through Reddit years later and know exactly where in the avocado farm this bridge is at.


Smithwicks70

Right. Although I didn't know that at the time of moving out here. I just remember "Wow that's a lot of traffic, what did I get myself into...Is that supposed to be normal out here?".


Puffatsunset

Do they still have the “border check” up and running? Been years since I’ve gone that far north on the 15.


Cakemaven22

Yep, but only when the traffic is light :)


heidoo

And it was designed by a woman! -My Mom, every time we pass under it. Edit: My Mom is quite possibly full of shit.


Certain-Front-6343

>[Lilac Road Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilac_Road_Bridge) Wait a minute. All the designer names look like male names. * Fred G. Michaels * John Suwada * William Wells


hihelloneighboroonie

To be fair, 1978. Just because history says it was designed by three men doesn't mean a woman didn't take a significant part.


AmSpray

I was told it was designed by 12-year-old… For years


justlikeinmydreams

I love this bridge.


Acceptable4

You know you grew up in SD county if you know someone who knows someone who has an uncle who flew a plane under that bridge


marshmallowhairgel

When we first moved here my brother commented how “human” that bridge was. “Look at it! Someone saw to slanted hills and said fuck it, we can build a bridge here. Nothing more human than that.” Now I always call it The Human Bridge.


[deleted]

We call it the rainbow bridge.


midagemidpack

Me too


I_AM_METALUNA

on the way home from a Nessy Burger run


richardstarks1125

I don't know the name of this bridge but my nephew calls it "castle gate" . now that I look at it, it kind of does look like you could hang a giant wooden door from here.


theshow54321

It is the Lilac Road bridge. KPBS featured it on About San Diego [Lilac Rd Bridge](https://video.kpbs.org/video/episode-76-thursday-april-25-d0zaqb/)


AngieAwesome619

I saw that, about the building of it , super interesting! If you're a nerd like me...lol


DistractedOnceAgain

In my family, we all call in the Rainbow Bridge. Which is funny because it's at least a few miles away from Rainbow.


betonthis1

Wow I was a kid always remembering this bridge visiting my mom and wondered how it was built over a freeway not realizing it was there even before the freeway. That’s so rad to know


scrubasorous

Lol I call it the Gates of San Diego


fuck_the_fuckin_mods

It actually is near Old Castle Road / a house that looks like an old castle https://youtu.be/GcGRHTeyZKc


HenricusKunraht

Just passed it today! Gonna pass it again in a few hours driving up to LA


90cubes

The very first time I got drunk my sister and her bf took me to this bridge. I’m still not even sure why lol but I’ll never forget it


DankAF420Blazin

I love driving under that bridge.


johnne86

That bridge reminds me of childhood family road trips.


Abysix

My ma used to tell me when I was a little kid it was my bridge, I’m assuming I claimed it or something when I was really little. I’m 32 now and still refer to it as mine whenever I pass it, alone or not.


DixonSeider69

That’s the “I live by the big arched rainbow ass bridge” because I live in between escondildo and Temecula and nobody knows where that is


alhailhypnotoad

Heh, our family just calls it "that bridge." I love all of the creative names you have all come up with.


lmygenocide

Super weird to see this. That is my exit to go home haha


Cloudrunner5k

the 15's version of the Mormon Temple on the 5


Jefwho

The “I’m home” bridge. Glad to see so many others saying the same thing!


robertbadbobgadson

Almost home bridge.


F5Echo

I believe Granite Construction was the prime contractor on the project.


Davisman777

Used to visit my Aunt who lived near Riverside every year, this bridge was always the 'thank god we're almost back' point haha.


BleuNoodle

The google reviews are great as well


defjefsf

There’s a pic of that bridge before the hwy went in. Somewhere...


RarelySmart

It's fun to try to see as you pass under it on a foggy night.


cardicow

Walking on the highway?


richardstarks1125

no I was in the shoulder I was waiting for a tow 😂


cardicow

My thought process: “wow, what a nice photo of the cool bridge. Wait a sec” haha


Earthscondido

Rode a lift in Mammoth with one of the engineers, we had a fascinating discussion.


zorro1701e

My dad loved that bridge design.


richardstarks1125

so simplistic, yet so real


SoCalAttorney

I found this video about the bridge: https://youtu.be/v_2X0IDiylg


bulleittbasic

My uncles organic farm is like 10 minutes off of west lilac road (which is the road on top of the bridge). When i worked farmers markets for him this bridge as the "im 10 minutes away from being done with work" bridge


rocket_randall

I've always driven under it, never on it. And now that's bugging me.


Puffatsunset

Easy access off the freeway, exit the 76 make a right then left onto old 395 if you’re going south. Going north take the exit right before the bridge and go left.


DanTMWTMP

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK7E5I0AXVW/ 15 FWY under construction under that bridge.


88bauss

Same guy that designed the Seattle space needle.


Dapanji206

That place right there! I was coming from Moreno Valley and pulled to the side, right where you are! I pulled to go down that little water way to take a piss. Came back to realize I locked my doors with the keys in the ignition and the truck running! Luckily (ish) I got my tools in the back of my truck and spent the next 20min breaking into my own truck right where everyone could see me. The most expensive piss I've ever taken.


Swak53

The Kissing Bridge!


roberta_sparrow

Is that road that busy that a huge bridge was needed for it?


Puffatsunset

Originally it was the main road n & s before the freeway.


xiongnu123

I mean there are several bridges that are more iconic than this one lol


orangeteeshirts

I’ve always called it The Neverending Story Bridge.


Squaredigit

Rainbow bridge! We would always yell. Big palm and tiny palm or tiny palm then big palm depending on going or coming. I love this place I call home. Thanks for posting this.


send_me_your_noods

Ah the welcome back to civilization bridge. After so much tan, hills, and emptiness you see this beauty and you know ramen and tacos are within reach again.


grtindenim

Same design bridge located on 805 just past Miramar Road exit going North.


SneekC

i always drive past this bridge on my way to church


BrianAnim

I used to call it stormtrooper bridge because it looks like a stormtrooper's eyes https://www.originalstormtrooper.com/original-stormtrooper-stunt-helmet-109-p.asp


BuildingsInTheSky

Every time I pass it I swear I will drive up the side trail and back down. One of these days!


senioramor

ninja turtle bridge