Kalayaan Avenue

Kalayaan Avenue was formerly called Pasig Line Street as it mostly 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. 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. During the term of President Ferdinand Marcos, the road was improved and was renamed Imelda Avenue after his wife and first lady, Imelda Marcos. In 1978, the feasibility study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency of the road was conducted, a route named Radial Road 4 (R-4), spanning from EDSA in Makati to Juan Luna (now R. Jabson) in Pasig. It was planned to occupy the West Rembo portion of J.P. Rizal Extension (also known as Guadalupe–Pateros Road) but was realigned to follow most of the former Paco–Pasig tram line south of the road extension. However, the segment of a highway between a road that is formerly named Imelda Avenue and J.P. Rizal Extension was only completed in 1994. Following the overthrow of the Marcos regime, the Makati local government renamed the avenue to Kalayaan (Filipino for "freedom"). From 1999 to 2000, the Kalayaan Flyover was constructed on the eastern portion of the avenue, eventually connecting it with Gil Puyat Avenue. In 2014, under the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Its Surrounding Areas (Region III & Region IV-A; also known as the Metro Manila Dream Plan), the JICA study proposes a dual 2-lane elevated expressway from the intersection of Roxas Boulevard and Gil Puyat Avenue to the intersection of C-5 and this road for about . The R-4 designation was later removed from the avenue. ==Route description==

West Kalayaan near Century City in Makati The western section begins as a four-lane road at the intersection with Zobel Roxas Street at the border of Makati and Manila, continuing the Pasig Line Street in San Andres, Manila. It cuts across the northern portion of the city, traversing barangays Singkamas, Tejeros, Santa Cruz, Olympia, Valenzuela, Bel-Air, and Poblacion. Starting as a two-way road, it becomes a one-way eastbound road from Pasong Tirad Street in Tejeros. From South Avenue to Nicanor Garcia Street, Kalayaan bounds the Manila South Cemetery and the Makati Columbarium (formerly the site of Makati Catholic Cemetery) to the south. It crosses into the western edge of barangays Bel-Air and Población, where St. Andrew the Apostle Parish is located. Kalayaan then becomes a two-way road once again near Century City. Heading east towards the intersection with Makati Avenue, Kalayaan is dominated by the Century City and Picar Place developments on the northern side. 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 in barangay Pinagkaisahan, Makati, the avenue picks up as a 6-8 lane divided highway, also known as Kalayaan Avenue Extension. It runs underneath the Kalayaan Flyover, heading towards the entrance to Bonifacio Global City, entering Taguig at barangay Pitogo. It veers northeast at the junction with 32nd Street, bypassing Bonifacio Global City. The road continues as it heads into Guadalupe Nuevo, where it briefly returns to Makati before re-entering Taguig at barangay Cembo. It bends eastwards just before coming to an intersection with 8th Avenue in barangay West Rembo. The road crosses 8th Avenue and then Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (C-5) at the Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange and ends at J.P. Rizal Extension in barangay East Rembo. It then continues towards barangay San Joaquin, Pasig as San Guillermo Avenue. ==Intersections==

From west (Zobel Roxas Street) to east (Rockwell Drive): • Puregold Makati • Manila South Cemetery • Saint Andrew the Apostle Church • Century City • Century City Mall • Trump Tower Manila • Bel-Air Village Bel-Air Village is a gated community; the western segment ends here. The eastern segment continues from EDSA, eastward to J.P. Rizal Avenue Extension: • Makati Science High School • Kalayaan Flyover • Santa Monica–Lawton Bridge • Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange == See also ==