Quezon Boulevard is a short stretch of highway in Manila, Philippines, running north–south through the district of Quiapo. It is a six- to ten-lane 1.1-kilometer-long (0.68 mi) divided boulevard designated as a component of National Route 170 (N170) of the Philippine highway network, except for its service roads,[2] and Radial Road 8 (R-8) of Manila's arterial road network, which links the center of Manila to North Luzon Expressway in Quezon City in the north. The boulevard is the main access to the popular Quiapo Church and is one of the main thoroughfares of the University Belt area. It is named after former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon.

Quezon Boulevard
Route 170 shield
R-8
Looking south towards Quezon Bridge
Former name(s)Quezon Avenue (alternate, c. 1945)
Part ofFrom Lerma to Quezon Bridge:
NamesakeManuel L. Quezon
Maintained byDepartment of Public Works and Highways - North Manila Engineering District Office[1]
Length1.1 km (0.68 mi)
LocationManila
North end N170 (Lerma Street) / Alfonso Mendoza Street in Sampaloc and Santa Cruz
Major
junctions
N145 (Recto Avenue)
South endCarlos Palanca Sr. Street in Quiapo

History

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The origin of the boulevard could be traced back to two parallel streets, Calle Santa Rosa and Calle Concepcion, that terminated at Estero de Curtidor (now part of Estero de Quiapo),[3][4] as well as Calle P. Blanco and the old sections of Calle Norzagaray and Calle Globo de Oro at the south.[5] In the early 1900s, Calle Santa Rosa and Calle Concepcion were renamed Calle Regidor (after La Solidaridad writer Antonio Maria Regidor) and Calle Martin Ocampo (after El Renacimiento and La Vanguardia editor Martin Ocampo), respectively.[6] Calle Martin Ocampo was also known as Calle El Dorado circa 1920.[7]

Quezon Boulevard was developed as part of a national road plan to connect the government center of Manila in Rizal Park to the proposed new capital on the Diliman estate. Named after the then-President of the Commonwealth, Manuel Luis Quezon, it was built in 1939 over Calle Regidor and the western portion of Calle Norzagaray, which were widened by demolishing all the buildings and houses on its east side and eventually combined with Calle Martin Ocampo, Calle P. Blanco, and a portion of Calle Globo de Oro.[8] It was also in 1939 when the old Puente Colgante, which connected the boulevard south over the Pasig River to Padre Burgos Avenue in Ermita, was replaced by the modern steel arch bridge, Quezon Bridge. According to a 1945 map published by the United States Army Map Service, it was also known as Quezon Avenue.[9] Its northern extension is now called España Boulevard and Quezon Avenue, respectively.[10][11]

Route description

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Quezon Boulevard north of Recto Avenue
 
Quezon Boulevard south of Recto Avenue

Quezon Boulevard begins on Carlos Palanca Sr. Street (formerly Calle Echague) by the riverside Quinta Market as a continuation of Padre Burgos Avenue from Ermita and Intramuros from Quezon Bridge. It intersects with Arlegui Street, which leads to the San Miguel district and the Malacañang Palace complex, and Hidalgo Street (former Calle San Sebastian), which leads to San Sebastian Church, before arriving at Plaza Miranda and Quiapo Church, the site of the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene. The boulevard then runs into a junction with Gonzalo Puyat Street (former Calle Raon), which cuts through the commercial area of Quiapo towards Santa Cruz and heads for Sampaloc district at the intersection with Recto Avenue. It ends at the junction with Lerma Street, continuing as Alfonso Mendoza Street (formerly Calle Andalucía), which heads north to the San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park.

Intersections

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The entire route is located in Manila. Rizal Park is designated as kilometer zero

km[2]miDestinationsNotes
  N170 (Lerma Street) / Alfonso Mendoza StreetNorthern terminus; continues north as Alfonso Mendoza Street
  N145 (Recto Avenue)Diamond interchange; no left turn towards Recto Avenue
31.9Buenviaje StreetNorthbound access only via service road to Recto Avenue
Soler ExtensionNorthbound access only
Porvenir StreetSouthbound access only
Esperanza StreetSouthbound access only
De la Fe StreetSouthbound access only
Gonzalo Puyat StreetNo access from opposite directions; one-way southbound entrance
Paterno StreetSouthbound access only
Escaldo StreetNorthbound access only
Hidalgo StreetNo access from opposite directions; Plaza Miranda on the west
North end of Quezon Bridge
(Route number changes from N170 to unnumbered)[2]
Arlegui StreetNorthbound access only
Norzagaray StreetNorthbound exit only
Globo de Oro StreetOne-way entrance
Carlos Palanca Sr. StreetSouthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Landmarks

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Quiapo Church and Plaza Miranda

From north to south:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "North Manila". Department of Public Works and Highways. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Road and Bridge Inventory". Department of Public Works and Highways. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  3. ^ de Gamoneda, Francisco J. (1898). Plano de Manila y sus Arrables [Map of Manila and its suburbs] (Map). 1:10,000 (in Spanish). Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  4. ^ Plano de Manila y sus arrabales 1894 [Map of Manila and its suburbs 1894] (Map). 1:5,000 (in Spanish). Manila: Lit De Chofre y Co. 1894. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Map of city of Manila and vicinity (Map). 1:10560. Office of Dept. Engineer, Phil. Dept. 1919. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  6. ^ Complete YMCA 1934 Manila map (Map). 1934. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  7. ^ City of Manila, Philippine Island (Map). 1:11000. Manila: John Bach. 1920. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "Manila Extramuros" (PDF). Philippine Institute for Development Studies. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  9. ^ Map City of Manila / compliments of the American Red Cross Service Bureau; prepared under the direction of the Chief Engineer, GHQ, AFPAC, US Army, by Base Map Plant No. 1, August 1945 (Map). 1:37,000. United States. Army Map Service. August 1945. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  10. ^ Batas Pambansa Blg. 685 (March 7, 1984), An Act Renaming Timog Avenue and East Avenue as Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, retrieved November 8, 2021
  11. ^ Table and Pocket Map Guide City of Manila (Map). J.M. Azucena Publishing. 1960. Retrieved November 8, 2021.

14°36′11″N 120°59′5″E / 14.60306°N 120.98472°E / 14.60306; 120.98472