Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard

R-6
Magsaysay Boulevard
On the eastbound lanes of Magsaysay Boulevard towards Pureza station
The route of Magsaysay Boulevard in Metro Manila. Magsaysay Boulevard is highlighted in red.
Former name(s)	Calle Santa Mesa Santa Mesa Boulevard
Namesake	Ramon Magsaysay
Length	2.2 km (1.4 mi)
Component highways	R-6 R-6 N180
Location	Manila and Quezon City
West end	N140 (A.H. Lacson Avenue / Nagtahan Street) / N180 (Legarda Street) / J.P. Laurel Street in Manila
Major junctions	N183 (Victorino Mapa Street)
East end	N130 (Gregorio Araneta Avenue) / N180 (Aurora Boulevard) in Quezon City

Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, also known simply as Magsaysay Boulevard and formerly as Santa Mesa Boulevard, is the principal artery of Santa Mesa in Manila, Philippines. It is a six-lane divided roadway that travels east–west from Gregorio Araneta Avenue near the city's border with Quezon City and San Juan to Lacson Avenue and the Nagtahan Interchange, close to the district of San Miguel. The entire length of the boulevard serves as the district boundary between Sampaloc in the north and Santa Mesa in the south with the LRTA's Line 2 running along its median. East of Gregorio Araneta, the road continues as Aurora Boulevard while west of Lacson, it extends as Legarda Street via Legarda Flyover into San Miguel and Quiapo.

The LRTA Line 2 system has two stations along Magsaysay, namely Pureza and V. Mapa. It is also served by the Santa Mesa railway station near the Polytechnic University of the Philippines campus on Hipodromo and Anonas Streets.

The boulevard was named after the seventh president of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay. It was formerly called Santa Mesa Boulevard, which in turn was formerly called Calle Santa Mesa.^[1]

Route description

Magsaysay Boulevard is an all-divided road that starts as a continuation of Legarda Street pastLacson Avenue and Nagtahan Street, both components of Circumferential Road 2 (C-2), at Nagtahan Interchange. The Line 2 of the LRTA follows wholly the length of the road, with two stations, built above. The road has numerous traffic light intersections and side streets throughout its length. Various major establishments, like the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sogo Grand Hotel, and SM City Santa Mesa (formerly named SM Centerpoint), lie around or near the road.

History

The boulevard traces its origin to an old road named Calle Santa Mesa which would later be known as Santa Mesa Boulevard, and a short segment leading to Calle Santol (now Santol Street).^[1] It also formed part of Highway 53.^[2] The road now known as Old Santa Mesa Street was part of the original Calle Santa Mesa, up to the San Juan Bridge, wherein what is now the current alignment of Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard was later extended from Santol Street to Quezon City.^[3][4] Its present-day section between Nagtahan and Old Santa Mesa Road was also the former right-of-way of tranvia until 1945.^[5]

In 1972, the R. Magsaysay Bridge II was built along the boulevard to facilitate the passage of vehicles crossing over the Philippine National Railway tracks. It was later decommissioned in 2022 to make way for NLEX Connector that would cross between the boulevard's ground level and the elevated LRTA tracks.^[6] The Connector's interchange with the boulevard opened on October 28, 2023.^[7]

In 1997, the construction of the second line of the LRTA System began, with the boulevard being one of its routes. It was later opened in 2003.

Intersections

Province	City/Municipality	km[8]	mi	Destinations	Notes
Manila		4.205	2.613	N140 (A.H. Lacson Avenue / Nagtahan Street) / J.P. Laurel Street	Nagtahan Interchange; traffic light intersection; continues westward as N180 (Legarda Street)
				East end of Nagtahan Interchange
				M. Francisco Street	Westbound only
				Valencia Street	Eastbound only
				M. Dela Rosa Street	Westbound only
				Marzan Street	Westbound only
				Vicente Cruz Street	Westbound only
		4.111	2.554	R. Magsaysay Bridge I over Estero de Valencia
				De Dios Street	Eastbound only
				D. Ampil Street	Eastbound only
				Pureza Street	Traffic light intersection; access to Polytechnic University of the Philippines
				Maganda Street	Westbound only
				Algeria Street	Westbound only
				Fortuna Street	Eastbound only
				Hipodromo Street	Eastbound only
				Paltok Street	Westbound only
		4.935– 5.135	3.066– 3.191	R. Magsaysay Bridge II over the PNR Metro South Commuter Line (1972–2022; demolished)
				NLEX Connector – Tarlac, C-3, Port of Manila	R. Magsaysay Exit of NLEX Connector
				D. Santiago Street	Westbound only
				Altura Street	Unsignaled intersection; access to PNR Santa Mesa Station
				Old Santa Mesa Street	Traffic light intersection. Former alignment of Santa Mesa Boulevard.
				Santol Street	Traffic light intersection. Former eastern terminus.
				Guadalcanal Street	Eastbound only
		5.818	3.615	N183 (Victorino Mapa Street)	Traffic light intersection
				Hotel Sogo Santa Mesa Access Road	Eastbound only; access to Hotel Sogo Santa Mesa
				Sociego Street	Westbound only
				Baldovino Street	Eastbound only
Manila – Quezon City boundary				North Manila–Quezon City 2nd boundary
Quezon City				SM City Santa Mesa Access Road	Eastbound only; access to SM City Santa Mesa
		6.306	3.918	N130 (Gregorio Araneta Avenue)	Traffic light intersection; continues eastward as N180 (Aurora Boulevard)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Incomplete access