N1 highway (Philippines)

National Route 1 (N1) 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 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, but other sections use different names.

Ilocos Region

N1 begins at the intersection with N2 (Manila North Road) and N100 ( Laoag Airport Road) in Laoag as Manila North Road (''MaNor''). 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, briefly following 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 (West Philippine 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, which bypasses the town proper. N1 runs through the foothills that mark the edge of the Northern Luzon Cordillera 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, where it turns south and becomes Bangag-Magapit Road up to the Magapit Interchange in Lal-lo. In Lal-lo, N1 is carried by the Magapit Suspension Bridge 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 (Tuguegarao Diversion Road) and N51 (Santiago–Tuguegarao Road) 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. At Nueva Vizcaya, N1 runs parallel to and crosses the Magat River and traverses Dalton Pass, where Sierra Madre and Caraballo Sur meet.

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 (Nueva Ecija–Pangasinan Road) in Santo Domingo. It then cuts through Talavera (once again, this time with the ''poblacion''), Cabanatuan, Santa Rosa, San Leonardo and Gapan.

Bulacan

=San Rafael to Guiguinto

=

The highway 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. It closely follows a transmission corridor between the San Miguel-San Ildefonso boundary and San Rafael, and a Meralco subtransmission line uses the highway on that portion. Plaridel Bypass Road intersects with Doña Remedios Trinidad Highway just before approaching the ''poblacion'' of San Rafael. The highway curves to the southwest near Baliuag, where the highway is known as Doña Remedios Trinidad Highway (DRT Highway). It serves as a bypass of the old Cagayan Valley Road through Baliuag ''poblacion'', with a flyover built on the intersection with Benigno S. Aquino Avenue (Baliwag–Candaba Road). At Pulilan, it serves as a principal route through the town center. At Guiguinto, it crosses the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) 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, then, runs 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 (Monumento) in Caloocan. There, the Asian Highway 26 concurrency returns on N1 as it turns east to follow Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) 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 (Roxas Boulevard) 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 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 (SLEX/E2/AH26) in Alabang, Muntinlupa, where it intersects with SLEX's Alabang Exit, East Service Road, N411 (Alabang–Zapote Road), and N142 (Montillano Street). The highway assumes the name Maharlika Highway, Manila South Road, or locally, 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 South Luzon Expressway.

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 ''poblacion''s. 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 at its intersection with N66 (Calamba–Pagsanjan Road) 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 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 roundabout intersection with N4 (Jose P. Laurel Highway) and Governor Carpio Avenue, it turns southeast towards San Pablo. It then re-enters the province of Laguna through Alaminos and then San Pablo, bypassing its ''poblacion''. It then enters the province of Quezon at Tiaong, passing by the Villa Escudero plantations and going through the ''poblacion'', followed by 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 (also known as MSR Diversion Road), a wide road which bypasses the Old Manila South Road alignment through Lucena ''poblacion'' up to the road's eastern end in Pagbilao.

Pagbilao to Calauag

N1 enters Pagbilao, where it briefly splits into Recto Street for westbound and J.P. Rizal Street for eastbound at the ''poblacion''. It then becomes alternatively known as New Diversion Road, the longer road bypassing the Old Zigzag Road alignment through the protected Quezon National Forest Park in the Sierra Madre mountain range. It enters Atimonan, where it then reaches the eastern coast of Quezon, and traverses the coastal municipalities of Plaridel, Gumaca, Lopez, and Calauag.

Bicol Region

Santa Elena to Sipocot

N1 enters Camarines Norte at the municipality of Santa Elena, meeting the N68 (Andaya Highway) that serves as a southern bypass of N1 which traverses the sparsely populated province of Camarines Norte. After traveling through kilometers of jungle, N1 enters the ''poblacion'' of Labo, Camarines Norte, where it follows local streets. 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 (where it is alternatively known as Mabolo Road) 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

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