N1 highway (Philippines)

National Route 1 is a primary national route that forms part of the Philippine highway network, running from Luzon to Mindanao. Except for a gap in Metro Manila and ferry connections, the highway is generally continuous. Most sections of N1 forms the Pan-Philippine Highway except for sections bypassed by expressways.

Route description

N1 follows a route that runs from Laoag in Ilocos Norte to Zamboanga City via Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and eastern and southern parts of Mindanao. The highway connects most major regional centers on its route and runs through different landscapes. The highway is mostly named Maharlika Highway or National Highway, but other sections use different names, including alternative names assumed within some poblacions.

Ilocos Region

N1 begins at the intersection with N2 and N100 in Laoag as Manila North Road. It then crosses Padsan River via Gilbert Bridge and enters the city proper of Laoag, where it splits before turning to the east in front of Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol, where the Pan-Philippine Highway commences. It then briefly follows J.P. Rizal Avenue before turning to General Segundo Avenue; both are principal city streets passing through the city proper and through its outskirts. Approaching Bacarra, it becomes a rural highway. At Bacarra, it bypasses the town center to the north and runs through a rural area, and then enters Pasuquin, where it serves as a major municipal street. Between Bacarra and Burgos, it becomes a rural two-lane highway and passes through interspersed barangays along the South China Sea coastline. It soon climbs the mountains upon approach to Burgos, where the highway directly serves the town. The highway zigzags through the rough terrain and overlooks the beach where Bangui Wind Farm lies. It then passes through Bangui, where it runs as a major street on the town center, crosses Bulu River, and enters Pagudpud, where it bypasses the town proper. N1 runs through the foothills that mark the edge of the Cordillera Central mountain range and runs close to the coastline of Bashi Channel, where the highway zigzags through the cliffs through the Patapat Viaduct, a viaduct that is required for the highway to pass the steep cliffs marking the northern edge of the Cordillera Range.

Cagayan Valley

Entering the Cagayan Valley region, N1 follows Manila North Road up to barangay Bangag, Aparri. From there, it turns south and becomes Bangag-Magapit Road up to the Magapit Interchange in Lal-lo. Within Lal-lo, N1 is also known as Logac–Magapit Road between namesake barangays Logac and Magpit. The segment includes the Magapit Suspension Bridge, which spans over the Cagayan River before meeting the Magapit Interchange.
At the interchange, it turns southeast and becomes Cagayan Valley Road from Magapit, Lal-lo to Tuguegarao, running parallel to the Cagayan River. In Tuguegarao, N1 turns east at the roundabout intersection with N106 and N51 to bypass the city proper towards Peñablanca and run parallel to the Cagayan River up to Reina Mercedes, Isabela. It then enters the province of Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya as Maharlika Highway, although it is alternatively called Cagayan Valley Road up to Guiguinto, Bulacan. It serves as the main artery of Isabela alongside N51. In Santiago, Isabela, it turns southwest at the Mabini Rotonda, its intersection with N51, and becomes a one-way northbound route. Southbound traffic is redirected via R.C. Miranda Road and Boulevard to bypass this one-way section.
At Nueva Vizcaya, N1 runs parallel to and crosses the Magat River. In Solano, it navigates through the poblacion locally as J. Manzano Street, cutting through as J.P. Rizal Avenue, and finally exiting as Aquino Avenue towards its segment bypassing Bayombong poblacion. Further in Santa Fe, it then reaches the Dalton Pass, where Sierra Madre and Caraballo Sur meet.
Although Cagayan Valley Road is limited to Cagayan, its name also alternatively extends up to N1's section in Bulacan.

Central Luzon

Nueva Ecija

The highway soon enters Nueva Ecija at Carranglan. It then descends to the plain terrain in San Jose as it approaches the poblacion. It then cuts through Muñoz and Talavera before turning east by its junction with N114 in Santo Domingo. It then cuts through Talavera, Cabanatuan, Santa Rosa, San Leonardo and Gapan.

Bulacan

San Rafael to Guiguinto

N1 soon enters Bulacan at San Miguel, where it begins on a straight route. It then enters the poblacion of San Miguel, which it bypasses, and the highway begins to curve through most of its length between San Ildefonso and San Rafael, where the route runs through rice paddies. At its intersection with San Rafael Municipal Road, the highway curves to the southwest to follow Doña Remedios Trinidad Highway until the intersection of the old Cagayan Valley Road and Esguerra Street in Pulilan. DRT Highway serves as a bypass of the old Cagayan Valley Road through Baliwag poblacion. At Guiguinto, it crosses the North Luzon Expressway along with the Santa Rita Interchange, where Asian Highway 26 leaves for the expressway. It soon crosses the original route of NLEX at Tabang Interchange.

Guiguinto to Meycauayan

Past Tabang Interchange, N1 begins to follow Manila North Road once again, this time as MacArthur Highway, which serves as a major toll-free highway over southern Bulacan. It soon crosses the Philippine National Railways right of way and enters Balagtas, where it directly passes through its poblacion. It soon crosses the Bigaa River, where it passes through residential and industrial areas, and curves upon entering Bocaue, where it bypasses the town center. A flyover restricted for use by light vehicles crosses Fortunato Halili Avenue to Santa Maria with service roads serving as frontage and heavy vehicle routes. The highway then curves and traverses through the residential barangays of Bocaue and soon enters Marilao and Meycauayan.

Metro Manila

Valenzuela to Pasay

Entering Metro Manila, the highway follows MacArthur Highway over Valenzuela, which runs on a four to six-lane highway up to the Bonifacio Monument Circle in Caloocan. There, the Asian Highway 26 concurrency returns on N1 as it turns east to follow Epifanio de los Santos Avenue up to Pasay. The whole road, bypassing the capital city of Manila, is notorious for congestion which causes delays, as well as economic losses in the metropolis. EDSA runs through the central business districts of Metro Manila, most notably Araneta Center, Ortigas Center, and Makati Central Business District. The LRT Line 1 and MRT Line 3 utilizes the center island of EDSA on most segments between Caloocan and Pasay. N1 ends below the EDSA Flyover at N120/AH26/N61 in Pasay.
A gap in the highway is filled by the South Luzon Expressway and Skyway between Makati and Muntinlupa. It would have been filled by Taft Avenue Extension, starting from EDSA, going southwards via [Elpidio Elpidio Quirino Avenue|Quirino Avenue|Quirino] and Diego Cera Avenues and ends at Manila South Road below Alabang Viaduct through Alabang–Zapote Road.

Muntinlupa

N1 resumes below the Alabang Viaduct of South Luzon Expressway in Alabang, Muntinlupa, where it intersects with SLEX's Alabang Exit, East Service Road, N411, and N142. The highway assumes the name Maharlika Highway, Manila South Road, or locally, National Road or Old National Road. It runs as a commercial artery through the city up to the boundary with Laguna in San Pedro over the Tunasan River. However, this section does not assume the Asian Highway 26 concurrency, which is designated instead to SLEX.

Calabarzon

San Pedro to Calamba

N1 generally serves as a four-lane toll-free highway serving the suburban cities of northwestern Laguna alongside the tolled South Luzon Expressway. Most sections of N1 between San Pedro and Calamba serve as commercial streets bypassing the old poblacions. Most of N1 is four-lane with a painted median divider.
It enters Laguna in San Pedro, where it serves as a major commercial street, with a maximum of four lanes. It then enters the cities of Biñan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, and Calamba, where it turns southwest past its intersection with N66 at the Calamba Crossing. In barangay Real, the highway is alternatively known as Real Road.

Calamba to Tayabas

N1 soon crosses the South Luzon Expressway at the Calamba Exit, where the concurrency with the Asian Highway 26 returns on the highway, and passes through several western barangays in Calamba. It then enters the province of Batangas in Santo Tomas, where it intersects with STAR Tollway and bypasses the poblacion. At the Santo Tomas Roundabout, where it meets N4 and Governor Carpio Avenue, it turns southeast as it leaves the province. It then re-enters the province of Laguna through Alaminos and then San Pablo, bypassing its poblacion.
N1 then enters the province of Quezon at Tiaong. There, it passes the Villa Escudero plantations and the site of the future Tiaong Interchange of SLEX Toll Road 4, then cuts through the poblacion as Doña Tating Street and then veers east as Don V. Robles Street. It then traverses the municipalities of Candelaria and Sariaya and the city of Tayabas, where it turns southeast towards Lucena at the Calumpang Junction.

Tayabas to Pagbilao

From Tayabas through Lucena, N1 then follows the entire Lucena Diversion Road, a wide road that bypasses the Old Manila South Road alignment, which cuts through Lucena poblacion, up to the road's eastern end in Pagbilao.

Pagbilao to Calauag

In Pagbilao poblacion, N1 briefly splits into MSR Diversion Road for westbound traffic and J.P. Rizal Street for eastbound traffic. Onto the area of the protected Quezon National Forest Park in the Sierra Madre, it then becomes alternatively known as New Diversion Road, the longer road bypassing the Old Zigzag Road alignment cutting through the park.
The route enters Atimonan, bypassing the poblacion before reaching Quezon’s eastern coastline. It then continues through Plaridel and then Gumaca, where it becomes J.P. Rizal Street in the poblacion south of the Gumaca River, then shifts eastward as A. Bonifacio Street toward Lopez. Within Lopez poblacion, it is known as General Vera Avenue before traversing Calauag.

Bicol Region

Santa Elena to Sipocot

N1 enters Camarines Norte at the municipality of Santa Elena, meeting the N68 that serves as a southern bypass of N1 which traverses the sparsely populated province of Camarines Norte. After traveling through kilometers of jungle, N1 navigates through the poblacion of Labo. It then becomes a rural highway again, passing by the municipalities of Vinzons and Talisay before bypassing Daet. It passes through Bicol Natural Park where the road winds through mountainous and hilly terrain. N1 enters Camarines Sur at the municipality of Sipocot, where it meets again N68 at its eastern end.

Sipocot to Matnog

From Sipocot, N1 traverses the municipalities of Libmanan, Pamplona, San Fernando, and Milaor in Camarines Sur before entering the City of Naga. N1 enters Naga, bypassing its poblacion as Roxas Avenue or Diversion Road before turning east at the Naga Rotonda to follow Maharlika Highway to enter Pili, the provincial capital. It then traverses the municipalities of Bula, Baao, Nabua, and Bato.
N1 enters the province of Albay at Polangui and traverses south of the Mayon Volcano. At Daraga poblacion, N1 turns sharply to the west from Rizal Street as it intersects with N630, which provides access to Legazpi City, and becomes a zigzag road as it leaves the province.
N1 enters the province of Sorsogon at Pilar. It then enters Sorsogon City, where it cuts through the poblacion as Rizal Street and Magsaysay Street, respectively. It turns east and continues it course north and east of Sorsogon Bay, traversing the municipalities of Casiguran and Juban. It then traverses west of Mount Bulusan and enters the towns of Irosin and Matnog, where its Luzon section ends at the Port of Matnog. Motorists can board a ferry to either Allen or San Isidro in Northern Samar at the port.

Eastern Visayas

Samar Island

The Visayas section of N1 begins at the intersection with N670 and Allen Old Road in Allen, Northern Samar, just south of the Port of Allen. It runs mostly along the western coast of Samar Island, particularly the provinces of Northern Samar and Samar and notably through the cities of Calbayog and Catbalogan. Through the Calbayog poblacion west of the Calbayog River, it is also known as Jose D. Avelino Street or Senate President Jose Avelino Avenue. In the poblacion of Santa Margarita, Samar, it briefly becomes a one-way southbound road as northbound traffic is diverted to the Santa Margarita Old Route, which covers short segments of Ramon Calagos and Barrantes Streets. It then climbs a mountainous terrain as it approaches Gandara, where it straddles along the Gandara River and Tan-Correche Creek. It then enters the landlocked town of San Jorge and returns to the western coast of Samar at Tarangnan. Further south in Catbalogan, it traverses through the poblacion along local streets such as Del Rosario Street, Curry Avenue, San Roque Street, and Rizal Avenue Extension. In Pinabacdao, it climbs another mountainous terrain into the island and turns west at its intersection with N670 in Basey. It then leaves the island of Samar and crosses the San Bernardino Strait through the San Juanico Bridge.

Leyte Island

Past the San Juanico Bridge, N1 enters the province of Leyte at Tacloban, straddling near the eastern coast of Leyte Island. At the roundabout intersection with Naga-naga–Anibong Road, the highway traverses the southbound lane, bypassing the poblacion. It then enters Palo and turns southwest at the intersection with N686, where a monument to an unknown soldier is located. From this point, the road takes on the name Tacloban–Baybay South Road as it proceeds to the Palo poblacion. At its intersection with N70/AH26 at the vicinity of the Palo Cathedral, it then turns southeast to other towns at the eastern coast of Leyte. At Abuyog, it veers west and climbs the Leyte Cordillera mountain range. It enters Mahaplag, where the Tacloban–Baybay South Road diverges from the highway at the Mahaplag Triangle to continue toward the intersecting N70/AH26. It enters Southern Leyte at Sogod, where Agas-Agas Bridge is located, and descends the mountain range. It then follows the eastern coastline of Sogod Bay and enters the towns of Libagon and Liloan.

Panaon Island

In Liloan, N1 crosses the Panaon Strait through the Wawa Bridge and enters Panaon Island. There, its Visayas section ends at its intersection with N691 and the road serving the Port of Liloan, where motorists can board a ferry to Surigao City.

Caraga

The Mindanao section of N1 starts at the Port of Lipata in Surigao City. It then turns south at its intersection with Surigao Wharf Road, also in Surigao City, to run parallel to the Surigao River. It enters Agusan del Norte and takes up the section Surigao–Butuan National Highway from Kitcharao to Ampayon, Butuan, where it turns southeast at its intersection with Butuan–Cagayan de Oro–Iligan Road to assume the name Davao–Agusan National Highway from thereon. It then enters Agusan del Sur, where it traverses near the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Davao Region

N1 enters Davao de Oro at Monkayo and goes through mountainous terrain as it heads south towards Tagum in Davao del Norte. At the boundary of Tagum and Carmen, Davao del Norte, the highway briefly splits into two as it crosses the Libuganon River.
It enters Panabo and Davao City, where it is also known as Davao City-Panabo City Road and turns west at its intersection with N916 in Lanang as J.P. Laurel Avenue. It then runs through the city center of Davao, turns south, and becomes C.M. Recto Avenue, a one-way street carrying northbound traffic, past its intersection with N919. At the Bonifacio Rotunda, it turns northwest to Davao–Cotabato Road as A. Pichon Street, then southwest to Elpidio Quirino Avenue and becomes McArthur Highway at General Generoso Bridge I over Davao River, all through Davao City proper. It then enters Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur as it traverses its eastern coast.
It enters Digos, where it turns west at its intersection with N923 and then south at its intersection with N75 to assume the name Digos–Makar Road, which is locally known as Rizal Avenue at the city proper, as it traverses the mountainous terrains up to General Santos.

Soccsksargen

N1 enters Sarangani at Malungon, where it runs parallel to Malungon River from there. At General Santos, it is locally known as Jose Catolico Sr. Avenue until turning west to pass by the poblacion. It turns north at its intersection with N935 at Hadano Park to assume the name Marbel–Makar Road, alternately known up to Polomolok as General Santos–Polomolok National Road or Polomolok National Highway. At Koronadal poblacion, the highway turns southwest at Marbel Roundball, a roundabout intersection with N940 and Koronadal–Lutayan–Columbio Road, and assumes the name Cotabato–Marbel Road up to Isulan. The highway veers northwest at Surallah and enters Sultan Kudarat at Isulan, where it becomes Marbel–Allah Valley–Cotabato Road.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region

Ampatuan to Cotabato City

N1 enters Bangsamoro Region at Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, as it crosses a river as Kakal Bridge. It then enters Maguindanao del Norte at Talitay. It retains the name Marbel–Allah Valley–Cotabato Road up to Cotabato City. It enters the Cotabato City proper, where it assumes the local name Sinsuat Avenue.

Cotabato City to Picong

At the junction of Sinsuat, Quezon, and Don Teodoro V. Juliano Avenues, N1 turns east to assume the name Cotabato–Lanao Road up to Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte; its section from the junction to Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte is also known as Quezon Avenue. Near barangay Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, it takes the longer, circumferential path as it meets the western terminus of N75. From Sultan Mastura to Parang, it follows the diversion road that bypasses the poblacion of these towns.
Entering Lanao del Sur at Sultan Dumalondong, N1 becomes Cotabato–Malabang–Lanao del Norte Road as it would also traverse Malabang. In Balabagan, it assumes the alternate name Rizal Avenue as it approaches near the coast of Lanao del Sur with Celebes Sea up to Picong, the last municipality traversed by N1 before leaving Bangsamoro.
N1's section from Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, to Balabagan, Lanao del Sur, is also known as Narciso Ramos Highway.

Northern Mindanao

N1 enters Lanao del Norte at Sultan Naga Dimaporo, the only municipality it passes through in Northern Mindanao. It traverses along the southern coast of the province. Within the region and province, it is alternatively known as Malabang–Dobleston–Tukuran Road as it traverses Barangay Dabliston.

Zamboanga Peninsula

N1 enters Zamboanga del Sur at Tukuran, where it becomes alternatively known as Tucuran Junction–Karomatan Junction Road or Malabang–Tukuran Road as it approaches the poblacion, where it veers away from the province's coast along Pagadian Bay at the Tukuran poblacion, where it is locally known as Rizal Avenue. At the Tukuran Junction, it turns west and becomes Lanao–Pagadian–Zamboanga City Road and Pagadian City–Zamboanga City Road from thereon. It climbs the mountainous terrain and turns west at its intersection with N9 to become alternatively known as National Highway. It then cuts through Pagadian, where it is a principal route locally known as J.P. Rizal Avenue through the poblacion. It enters Zamboanga Sibugay, passing through the mountainous terrain and municipalities on the province's southern coast.
N1 enters Zamboanga City as Maria Clara L. Lobregat Highway. It then enters the city proper, where it turns south as Veterans Avenue at the Sta. Cruz Junction, then southwest as Governor Lim Avenue, which carries one-way northeast-bound traffic, and finally southwest as Don Pablo Lorenzo Street. It ends at the intersection with N970, N966, and N971, its physical continuation towards the Port of Zamboanga. This junction is situated near the Zamboanga City Hall and the main campus of Universidad de Zamboanga.

History

The current alignment of N1 was formed by the integration and expansion of several colonial-era and post-war highway systems. Its direct predecessors included:

Segments of Highway 3 from Laoag to Aparri and from Pulilan to Caloocan
Majority of Highway 5 from Lal-lo to Pulilan
Highway 54 then in Rizal
Majority of Highway 1 from Muntinlupa to Matnog, including the Calamba–Santo Tomas segment of the Manila–Batangas Road
Highway 1 as Samar–Leyte Road from Calbayog to Santa Rita and as Leyte–Samar Road from Tacloban to Mahaplag and from Sogod to Liloan.
Highway 1 as Agusan–Surigao Road in the old Surigao and Agusan provinces, Agusan–Davao Road in the old Agusan and Davao provinces, and as Davao–Cotabato Road from Davao City to Digos
Highway 5 from Dadiangas to Mamasapano
Highway 1 from Sultan Kudarat to Malabang
Lanao–Zamboanga Road

More roads were later constructed and added to integrate with the present alignment of N1 and Pan-Philippine Highway, which was conceived in 1965 as the country's principal transport backbone and later designated as Asian Highway 26.
In 2014, Department of Public Works and Highways assigned the segment of Pan-Philippine Highway from Laoag to Guiguinto and from Calamba to Zamboanga City, MacArthur Highway from Guiguinto to Caloocan, EDSA, and Manila South Road from Muntinlupa to Calamba as N1.