# Magsaysay Boulevard

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.

## Route description

Magsaysay Boulevard is an all-divided road that starts as a continuation of Legarda Street past Lacson Avenue and Nagtahan Street, both components of Circumferential Road 2 (C-2), at Nagtahan Interchange. 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. Major establishments, like the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sogo Grand Hotel, and SM City Santa Mesa (formerly 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). It also formed part of Highway 53. 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. Its present-day section between Nagtahan and Old Santa Mesa Road was also the former right-of-way of tranvia until 1945.
In 1972, the R. Magsaysay Bridge II was built along the boulevard to facilitate the passage of vehicles crossing over the Philippine National Railways tracks. It was later decommissioned in 2022 to make way for the NLEX Connector, which would cross between the boulevard's ground level and the elevated LRTA tracks. The Connector's interchange with the boulevard opened on October 28, 2023.
The construction of the second line of the LRTA system began in 1997, with the boulevard being one of its routes. The segment was later opened to train operations in 2004.

## Intersections

| Province | City/Municipality | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
| Manila | 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) |
| Manila | Manila | | | East end of Nagtahan Interchange | East end of Nagtahan Interchange |
| Manila | Manila | | | M. Francisco Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Valencia Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | M. Dela Rosa Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Marzan Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Vicente Cruz Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | 4.111 | 2.554 | R. Magsaysay Bridge I over Estero de Valencia | R. Magsaysay Bridge I over Estero de Valencia |
| Manila | Manila | | | De Dios Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | D. Ampil Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Pureza Street | Traffic light intersection; access to Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
| Manila | Manila | | | Maganda Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Algeria Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Fortuna Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Hipodromo Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Paltok Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | 4.935– 5.135 | 3.066– 3.191 | R. Magsaysay Bridge II over the PNR Metro South Commuter Line (1972–2022; demolished) | R. Magsaysay Bridge II over the PNR Metro South Commuter Line (1972–2022; demolished) |
| Manila | Manila | | | NLEX Connector – Tarlac, C-3, Port of Manila | R. Magsaysay Exit of NLEX Connector |
| Manila | Manila | | | D. Santiago Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Altura Street | Unsignaled intersection; access to PNR Santa Mesa Station |
| Manila | Manila | | | Old Santa Mesa Street | Traffic light intersection. Former alignment of Santa Mesa Boulevard. |
| Manila | Manila | | | Santol Street | Traffic light intersection. Former eastern terminus. |
| Manila | Manila | | | Guadalcanal Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila | Manila | 5.818 | 3.615 | N183 (Victorino Mapa Street) | Traffic light intersection |
| Manila | Manila | | | Hotel Sogo Santa Mesa Access Road | Eastbound only; access to Hotel Sogo Santa Mesa |
| Manila | Manila | | | Sociego Street | Westbound only |
| Manila | Manila | | | Baldovino Street | Eastbound only |
| Manila – Quezon City boundary | Manila – Quezon City boundary | | | North Manila–Quezon City 2nd boundary | North Manila–Quezon City 2nd boundary |
| Quezon City | Quezon City | | | SM City Santa Mesa Access Road | Eastbound only; access to SM City Santa Mesa |
| Quezon City | Quezon City | 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 ||||||