Kalayaan Avenue
| Radial Road 4 | |
|
Kalayaan Avenue looking west from C-5 Road | |
| Length | 6.3 km (3.9 mi) |
|---|---|
| Location | Makati |
| West end | Zobel Roxas Street in Singkamas |
| Major junctions |
Chino Roces Avenue South Avenue Nicanor Garcia Street Makati Avenue Rockwell Drive in Población – – Bel-Air Village – – EDSA in Pinagkaisahan 32nd Street Eighth Avenue Circumferential Road 5 |
| East end | J.P. Rizal Avenue Extension in East Rembo |
Kalayaan Avenue is a major east-west route in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. For most of its length, it runs parallel to J.P. Rizal Avenue to the north from East Rembo near Fort Bonifacio to Singkamas Village by the border with Santa Ana, Manila. It is interrupted by Bel-Air Village between Amapola Street and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). The avenue is designated as a component of Radial Road 4 (R-4) of the Metro Manila Arterial Road System.
History
Kalayaan Avenue was formerly called Pasig Line Street for its entire length, and is still called that in Santa Ana district. It followed the abandoned tram line of the Manila Railroad Company (MRR, now Philippine National Railways) that ran from Paco Station to Pasig. The line was built in 1908 but was heavily damaged during World War II.[1][2] Subsequent development of the Bel-Air Village by Ayala Corporation in 1957 has led to the closure of a segment of Pasig Line west of EDSA.[3] During the term of President Ferdinand Marcos, the road was improved and was renamed to Imelda Avenue after his wife and first lady, Imelda Marcos. Following the overthrow of the Marcos regime, the Makati government renamed the avenue to Kalayaan (Filipino word for "Freedom").
Route description
Kalayaan Avenue is split into two non-contiguous sections by Bel-Air Village.
- West Kalayaan
The western section begins as a four-lane road from the intersection with Zobel Roxas Street next to Puregold Makati as a continuation of Pasig Line Street in Santa Ana district. It cuts across the northern portion of the city passing the residential and commercial villages of Tejeros, Santa Cruz, Olympia, Valenzuela, Bel-Air and Makati Población. Between South Avenue and Nicanor Garcia Street (formerly Calle Reposo), Kalayaan bounds the Manila South Cemetery to the south. It crosses into the western edge of Bel-Air and Población where Saint Andrew the Apostle Church is located on Kalayaan and Reposo. East towards the intersection with Makati Avenue, Kalayaan is dominated by the Century City and Picar Place developments on the northern side where the city's next supertalls are being (or have been) constructed, such as The Stratford Residences, Trump Tower Manila and The Gramercy Residences. At Makati Avenue, the road traverses a major entertainment and hotel district, with many nightclubs, bars and mid to low range hotels in the immediate vicinity. The section of Kalayaan east of P. Burgos Street is home to many sports pubs. It ends at a merge with Rockwell Drive by the entrance to the gated Bel-Air Village where it continues as Mercedes Street.
- East Kalayaan
East of Bel-Air at the intersection with EDSA, the avenue picks up as a 6-8 lane divided highway. It runs underneath the Gil Puyat-Kalayaan flyover as it heads towards the entrance to Bonifacio Global City. It veers northeast at the junction with 32nd Street thereby avoiding the Bonifacio district. The road continues in this manner as it heads into Guadalupe Nuevo and Cembo, bending eastwards just before coming to an intersection with Eighth Avenue in West Rembo. East of Eighth Avenue, it forms the northern border of Bonifacio Global City with the upcoming Uptown Bonifacio development by Megaworld soon dominating this stretch of Kalayaan.[4] The road terminates at the junction with J.P. Rizal Avenue Extension in East Rembo just a few hundred meters past C-5 Road. East of J.P. Rizal Extension, Kalayaan gives way to M. Concepcion Avenue as it continues east toward the Pasig Line terminus at San Joaquin, Pasig.
Points of interest
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References
- ↑ Laguna Railways: Pasig Line published by the Railways and Industrial Heritage Society of the Philippines, Inc.; accessed 2013-10-12.
- ↑ Pictures and thoughts from a break published by Panaderos; accessed 2013-10-12.
- ↑ History and Facts published by Barangay Bel-Air; accessed 2013-10-12.
- ↑ Megaworld raises Uptown Bonifacio investment published by Philippine Daily Inquirer; accessed 2013-10-12.
