Kalayaan Avenue

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 Barangay Singkamas by the border with San Andres, Manila. It is interrupted by Bel-Air Village between Rockwell Drive 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 and its segment east of EDSA is designated as a component of National Route 190 of the Philippine highway network.

Kalayaan Avenue
Kalayaan Avenue looking west from C-5 Road
Former name(s)Pasig Line Street
Imelda Avenue
Length6.3 km (3.9 mi)
Component
highways
  • R-4 R-4
  • N190 from EDSA to Buting Bridge
LocationMakati and Taguig
West endZobel Roxas Street at Makati–Manila boundary
Major
junctions

– – Bel-Air Village – –

East endButing Bridge at Makati–Pasig boundary

History

Kalayaan Avenue was formerly called Pasig Line Street as it followed the defunct Paco–Pasig tram line of the Manila Electric Railway (operated by Meralco) for most of its length; the street in the district of San Andres in Manila still bears that name. 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

West Kalayaan
Kalayaan Avenue just west of Makati Avenue near Century City

The western section begins as a four-lane road from the intersection with Zobel Roxas Street, behind Puregold Makati at the border of Makati and Manila as a continuation of Pasig Line Street in San Andres, Manila. It cuts across the northern portion of the city passing the residential and commercial villages of Singkamas, Tejeros, Santa Cruz, Olympia, Valenzuela, Bel-Air, and Poblacion. 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 St. Andrew the Apostle Parish could be found. 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
Kalayaan Avenue, at the intersection of Lawton Avenue, north of Bonifacio Global City

East of Bel-Air at the intersection with EDSA, the avenue picks up as a 6-8 lane divided highway. It runs underneath the 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 Global City. The road continues in this manner as it heads into Guadalupe Nuevo and Cembo, bending eastwards just before coming to an intersection with 8th Avenue in West Rembo. East of 8th Avenue, the eastbound lane of Kalayaan is becoming part of Taguig where it forms the northern border of Bonifacio Global City with its North Bonifacio district dominating the stretch. The road transverses in Makati, crossing Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (C-5) at the Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange and J.P. Rizal Avenue Extension in East Rembo. Kalayaan then ends at Buting Bridge over Taguig River and continues towards San Joaquin, Pasig as M. Concepcion Avenue.

References
  1. Laguna Railways: Pasig Line published by the Railways and Industrial Heritage Society of the Philippines, Inc.; accessed 2013-10-12.
  2. Pictures and thoughts from a break published by Panaderos; accessed 2013-10-12.
  3. bonitm History and Facts published by Barangay Bel-Air; accessed 2013-10-12.

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