 | Parts of this article (those related to road's route description and ongoing and future developments) need to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(August 2023) |
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronymEDSA (Tagalog:[ˈʔɛd.sɐ]), is a majorcircumferential road aroundMetro Manila,Philippines. It passes through 6 ofMetro Manila's 17local government units or cities, namely, from north to south,Caloocan,Quezon City,San Juan,Mandaluyong,Makati, andPasay.[1]
Named after academicEpifanio de los Santos, the section of the road fromBalintawak Interchange in Quezon City toMagallanes Interchange in Makati connects theNorth Luzon Expressway (NLEX) andSouth Luzon Expressway (SLEX). The avenue passes through the major financial districts of the metropolis which areTriangle Park,Araneta City,Ortigas Center,Makati CBD, andBay City. It is the longest and the most congested highway in the metropolis, stretching some 23.8 kilometers (14.8 mi).[2]
The entire avenue forms part ofCircumferential Road 4 (C-4) ofMetro Manila's arterial road network, National Route 1 (N1) of thePhilippine highway network and Asian Highway 26 (AH26) of theAsian Highway Network.[3] The locations around the avenue were marked with great economic and industrial growth, proven by the fact that all but two industrial centers in the Metropolis are directly accessible from the thoroughfare. The decent economic growth of the areas around the avenue adds a significant volume of traffic on the avenue, and in recent estimates,[4] and an average of 385,096 vehicles go through it every day.[5]The avenue is a dividedcarriageway, often consisting of 12 lanes, 6 in either direction, with the elevated railroadsManila Metro Rail Transit System Line 3 andManila Light Rail Transit System Line 1 often serving as its median. Although it is not anexpressway, traffic rules and speed limits are strictly implemented to the vehicles that pass along it. It is operated by theMetropolitan Manila Development Authority and is maintained by theDepartment of Public Works and Highways fromBonifacio Monument in Caloocan toRoxas Boulevard in Pasay and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) from Roxas Boulevard toSM Mall of Asia.[3]
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EDSA starts from theBonifacio Monument (Monumento) Circle inCaloocan, its intersection withMacArthur Highway,Rizal Avenue Extension, andSamson Road, the western side of theC-4 Road. This roundabout is also the marker of the 1896 Revolution led byAndres Bonifacio. A 1.7 kilometers (1.1 mi) portion of the road is in Caloocan. The Avenue then entersQuezon City through the Balintawak district, following an intersection with theNorth Luzon Expressway (NLEX) andA. Bonifacio Avenue at theBalintawak Interchange.
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EDSA crosses much of the northern part of Quezon City, passing through the Balintawak, Muñoz, and Project 7 districts. It sharply curves southwards after crossing the North Avenue-West Avenue Intersection in theTriangle Business Park. On the north side of EDSA is theSM North EDSA. In front of it are theTriNoma mall, with theEton Centris seen afterwards. The soon-to-be demolishedABS-CBN Broadcasting Center andtransmitter, andELJ Communications Center can be easily seen from EDSA and continues southwards, slightly turning westwards slowly until it leaves theTriangle Park after crossing the East Avenue-Timog Avenue Intersection, where theGMA Network Center is located. It continues through the district ofCubao, entering theAraneta City after crossing theAurora Boulevard Tunnel. In Cubao, several malls, infrastructure and offices are located. The Avenue curves southwards and crossesSantolan Road nearSocorro, where the twin bases of CampsCrame andAguinaldo are located. EDSA then continues on its route and serves as the boundary of the cities ofSan Juan andQuezon City.Primex Tower, the tallest building in San Juan, is located on the southbound side of EDSA at its junction with Connecticut Street, whilePeople Power Monument can be seen on the northbound side of EDSA at its junction with White Plains Avenue. After 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) inQuezon City, EDSA will eventually leave the city, straddling along the boundary withSan Juan. EDSA entersMandaluyong after crossing the borders of theOrtigas Center. In the Ortigas Center, some notable buildings around the area are theDepartment of Migrant Workers building,Robinsons Galleria,SM Megamall, and the bronzeEDSA Shrine, a memorial church to the 1986 People Power Revolution. It then curves smoothly westwards after it crossesBoni Avenue andPioneer Street, and crosses thePasig River via theGuadalupe Bridge, leaving the city of Mandaluyong.
After crossing the Pasig River, EDSA enters the city ofMakati through Guadalupe, where it provides access to theRockwell Center, a major mixed-use business park in Makati, throughJ.P. Rizal Avenue. The highway also provides quick access to the city ofTaguig nearby. After crossingBuendia Avenue, the highway enters theAyala Center, an important commercial district in the Philippines. It also cuts through the exclusive villages ofBel-Air,Forbes Park, Urdaneta,Dasmariñas, and Magallanes. The road then curves eastwards, continues on a straight route to the city of Pasay, and passing theChino Roces Avenue,Osmeña Highway andSouth Luzon Expressway (SLEX) throughMagallanes Interchange.
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EDSA entersPasay shortly after crossing the Magallanes Interchange. In Pasay, the highway provides access toNinoy Aquino International Airport via aflyover toTramo Street. EDSA would pass through Pasay Rotonda withinTaft Avenue and continues on a straight route until it crosses toRoxas Boulevard. After crossing Roxas Boulevard, it becomes known as EDSA Extension and enters Central Business Park 1-A of theBay City reclamation area, whereSM Mall of Asia is located. EDSA's terminus is at the Globe Rotunda fronting SM Mall of Asia.
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The entire span of EDSA has one-way Class IIbike lanes along both sides of the road, established as part of the national government'sMetropolitan Bike Lane Network and funded by theBayanihan to Recover as One Act during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the bicycle lanes along EDSA are paint separated while some sections have physical separation usingbollards and concrete barriers.[6]
The lead agency that manages the flow of traffic along EDSA is theMetropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), a government agency under theOffice of the President of the Philippines and is advised by the Metro Manila Mayors League. One of the MMDA's traffic management schemes that is in effect on EDSA, among other major thoroughfares in the metropolis, is theUniform Vehicular Volume Reduction Program.
Many[by whom?] have observed that the cause of manytraffic jams on EDSA is its change from being a highway to an avenue. This resulted the erection of erring establishment, buses and jeepneys. Subsequently, buses have been the target of other traffic management programs, like the MMDA's Organized Bus Route Program.[7] The MMDA is strictly implementing also the Motorcycle and Bus laning in EDSA, making it the second highway in the Philippines ever to have such traffic rule to be enforced, afterCommonwealth Avenue.[8][9] The average speed of vehicles in EDSA is 15 kilometers per hour (9.3 mph).
On January 18, 2016, strict implementation on bus lanes started on theShaw–Guadalupe segment, where plastic barriers are placed and prohibited entry of private vehicles and taxis on the bus lanes except when turning to EDSA's side streets.[10] Despite the plastic barrier, many private vehicles still enter the lanes.[10]
In June 2020, bus routes in the avenue were rationalized, creating theEDSA Carousel line carried by the new EDSA Busway. The EDSA Busway is separated from normal road traffic and now used only for buses and emergency vehicles. The new bus route spans from Monumento to PITX, while the busway is divided mostly by concreted barriers and steel fences. The old rightmost bus lanes were now opened for all vehicles, with the avenue now having total of four to five public-use lanes per direction instead of three, excluding interchanges.
| This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2024) |
A decongestion program under theBuild! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program is ongoing to help decongest EDSA (which is under overcapacity, carrying 402,000 vehicles daily while has the capacity of 288,000).[11] This involves the construction of other roads and bridges that will divert traffic from the avenue. The government aims to reduce travel time from Cubao to Makati to 5–6 minutes.[12]
Construction of what was then called theNorth and South Circumferential Road began in 1939 underPresidentManuel L. Quezon, amidst Manila's rapid expansion.[13] This necessitated inland growth and a planned new capital city, which becameQuezon City.[14] The construction team was led by engineers Florencio Moreno and Osmundo Munsod,[1] integrating the former stretch of Calle Apelo Cruz from present-day Cabrera Street to Taft Avenue inPasay andCalle Samson up to Balintawak in Quezon City to the east.[15]
The road, starting fromNorth Bay Boulevard inNavotas and ending atTaft Avenue (formerly known as Taft Avenue Extension / Manila South Road) inPasay, both then inRizal, was partially opened in 1940, shortly before the outbreak ofWorld War II and the subsequentJapanese occupation.[14] However, was then discontinuous due to thePasig River.[16] It was then known as theManila Circumferential Road or simply asCircumferential Road.[17][18] During the war, its section in Diliman Estate served as a runway of the Quezon Airfield, along with Malawen Boulevard (nowQuezon Avenue).[19][20] The road was also renamed toHighway 54 and thus designated asRoute 54.[21][22] Due to the route number, there was a common misconception on that time that the avenue is 54 kilometers (34 mi) long.[1] The present-day North EDSA section in Caloocan and Quezon City was referred to asCalle Samson (Samson Street),[16] while its section in Pasay was also known asP. Lovina Street. It was later renamed asMcArthur Boulevard in 1945,[14] and after the independence of the Philippines from the United States in 1946, it became known asAvenida 19 de Junio (June 19 Avenue), after the birth date of national heroJosé Rizal.[1]
In the 1950s, the northern end of the avenue was designated to its present terminus atBonifacio Monument inCaloocan and its part west of it later becomingSamson Road, General San Miguel Street, andLetre Road.[23] The avenue was widened from two to four lanes during this decade.[14]Rizalists also wanted the avenue's name to remain 19 de Junio, while PresidentRamon Magsaysay wanted the avenue named after Rizal. Residents of Rizal province (to which most parts ofMetro Manila belonged until 1975) wanted the avenue to be named after a Rizaleño: the historian, jurist and scholar namedEpifanio de los Santos y Cristóbal, who was born inMalabon. The Philippine Historical Committee (now theNational Historical Commission of the Philippines), the Philippine Historical Association, the Philippine Library Association, Association of university and College Professors, the Philippine China Cultural Association, and the Philippine National Historical Society, led by fellow RizaleñosEulogio Rodriguez andJuan Sumulong, supported the renaming of Highway 54 to Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.
On April 7, 1959, de los Santos' birth anniversary, Republic Act No. 2140 was passed, renaming the avenue to honor him.[24] Rapid urbanization in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly after the annexation of several Rizal towns to the newly establishedNational Capital Region, marked the growth of the industrial centers along the road, and several other roads connected to the avenue, such asAyala Avenue and McKinley Road inMakati.
Construction of EDSA continued into the 1970s, including the construction of theGuadalupe Bridge in the 1960s to connect its segments on the north and south banks of thePasig River, with the Pasay segment being delayed due to right-of-way issues.[14] During the rule of PresidentFerdinand Marcos, traffic jams along the avenue started to build up. Several interchanges were constructed to relieve congestion, including theBalintawak andMagallanes Interchanges. Later, with the implementation of theMetro Manila Arterial Road System in 1965, in order to complete theCircumferential Road 4 system, EDSA was extended from Taft Avenue toRoxas Boulevard, occupying parcels of land along the old F. Rein Street and Del Pan Avenue (P. Lovina Street) in Pasay.[25] Until the mid-1980s, many parts of the highway still overlooked vast grassland and open fields.
By 1986, political opposition to the 20-year dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos mounted. In late February, high-ranking military officers includingDefence MinisterJuan Ponce Enrile and GeneralFidel Ramos, defected from the Marcos government and seizedCamp Crame andCamp Aguinaldo, two military bases located across each other midway along EDSA. This triggered three days of peaceful demonstrations that became thePeople Power Revolution.
The majority of protesters were gathered at the gates of the two bases, along a stretch of EDSA between the commercial districts of Cubao in Quezon City and Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong. Over two million Filipino civilians, along with political, military, and religious groups led byArchbishop of ManilaCardinalJaime Sin, succeeded in toppling President Marcos.Corazon Aquino, the widow ofassassinated opposition senatorBenigno Aquino Jr., was installed as president on the morning of February 25; by midnight, Marcos had escapedMalacañang Palace with his family, and was flying to exile inHawaii.
Several landmarks commemorate historical events that occurred along the avenue. At the intersection of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue isEDSA Shrine, a Catholic church capped by a bronze statue of theBlessed Virgin Mary asOur Lady of Peace. The shrine is dedicated to thisMarian title in memory of the pious folk belief that in the 1986 Revolution, the Virgin Mary personally shielded the protesters – many of whom were peacefully praying and singing – as they faced government troops, tanks, and aircraft.
ThePeople Power Monument (Tagalog:Monumento ng Lakás ng Bayan), consisting of a giant statue and esplanade, sits at the corner of EDSA and White Plains Avenue. Sculpted byEduardo Castrillo and unveiled in 1993, the central sculpture depicts protesters standing upon a circular podium, all surrounding a woman (representingInáng Bayan or theMotherland), reaching up to the heavens with her outstretched hands and broken shackles. APhilippine flag rises behind her, while a statue ofNinoy Aquino and an eternal flame stand on either side at its base. A huge, limestone-faced wall with grooves for ribbons in the national colors forms a backdrop to the scene. The surrounding pavement contains a row of flagstaffs, and is the center for protests and ceremonies held on the Revolution's anniversary of February 25.
Monuments dedicated toAndrés Bonifacio are situated at two locations along EDSA: theBalintawak Interchange and the avenue's terminus, the Monumento Circle. The monument at Balintawak, erected in 1971, replaced the old Cry of Balintawak Monument, a monument commemorating theCry of Pugad Lawin and was transferred to theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman campus in 1968.[26] On the other hand, theBonifacio Monument at Monumento was built in 1929 and unveiled in 1933.
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After thePeople Power Revolution, the highway was commonly referred to as EDSA, and it was connected to its southern extensions.
In 1997, construction began on theManila Metro Rail Transit System, which runs the length of EDSA fromNorth Avenue toTaft Avenue. It was opened under the administration ofJoseph Estrada, thethirteenthPresident of the Philippines.[27][28]
TheSecond EDSA Revolution, which also took place along the avenue, resulted in the peaceful ouster of President Estrada following hisimpeachment trial. He was succeeded by hisVice-President,Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She was sworn in on the terrace of EDSA Shrine by then-Chief JusticeHilario Davide Jr. at noon on January 20, 2001, several hours before Estrada and his family fled Malacañang Palace.
TheEDSA III, which also took place along the avenue from April 25 to May 1 of the same year, resulted in violence when the supporters of former President Estrada attempted to storm thepresidential palace and the military and police were ordered to use their arms to drive them back. Arroyo declared a state of rebellion because of the violence and prominent political personalities affiliated with Estrada were charged and arrested.
In 1999, the avenue was further extended fromRoxas Boulevard to the futureSM Mall of Asia on theBay City Reclamation Project, where it now ends at the Globe Rotunda, aroundabout. The avenue was badly damaged in September 2006, whenTyphoon Milenyo hit Manila.
In 2010, theLRT Line 1 (LRT-1) of theManila Light Rail Transit System was extended fromMonumento toRoosevelt (now Fernando Poe Jr.), ultimately transversing EDSA to end at the site of the currentNorth Avenue MRT station.
On September 9, 2015, thePhilippine National Police (PNP) deployed the Highway Patrol Group to supportMMDA traffic constables easing traffic on congested segments of EDSA.[29]
In September 2017, the construction of theNorth Triangle Common Station was started after numerous delays due to bureaucracy and location disputes. It will connect the LRT Line 1, MRT Line 3, MRT Line 7, and the Metro Manila Subway.[30]
The EDSA Busway is abus lane located on the innermost lanes of EDSA, used by theEDSA Carousel, specificP2P bus routes, and authorized government vehicles. It is abus rapid transit (BRT) system with EDSA Carousel stops mostly on the avenue'smedian serving as the main bus route of the avenue. The system was put into place after almost all public and private transportation along EDSA was prohibited during theenhanced community quarantine in Luzon imposed during the start of theCOVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Interim operations of the BRT system began on July 1, 2020. Intended to be largely served by bus stops along the median, some stops are temporarily served by stations on thecurbside.[31]
The busway spans most of EDSA, with exclusive sections spanning the entirety of EDSA from Monumento to the Globe Rotunda. The lane is 3.3 to 3.5 m (11 to 11 ft) and is delineated by painted markings and concrete barriers. Some segments of the busway have openings for mixed traffic, particularly at intersections and interchanges along EDSA.
Prior to the establishment of the EDSA Carousel, theDepartment of Transportation proposed in 2017 to create two BRT lines in Metro Manila, which would be part of a Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit System. EDSA would have had been designated as "Line 2: Central Corridor" and would have had 48.6 kilometers (30.2 mi) of segregated busways covering the length of the road.[32] The agency planned to scrap the project by June 2018.[33] However, this appeal was rejected and the Line 1 which will be built on Quezon Avenue, which passes EDSA, was later approved by theNational Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on November 2, 2018.[34]
In 2019, SenatorWin Gatchalian called for the approval of the BRT system as an alternate mode of transportation to thePNR Metro Commuter Line.[35]
Intersections are numbered by kilometer post, withRizal Park inManila designated askilometer zero.
| Province | City/Municipality | km[a] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caloocan | 9.014– 9.209 | 5.601– 5.722 |   N1 (MacArthur Highway) /N150 (Rizal Avenue) –Valenzuela,Manila,Navotas | Bonifacio Monument Circle (Monumento). Northern terminus. | |
| 5th Street (B. Serrano) | Northbound access via U-turn slot | ||||
| 8th Street (A. De Jesus) | Unsignalized intersection. Access to5th Avenue. | ||||
| Biglang Awa Street | Northbound access via U-turn slot. Access to 10th Avenue. | ||||
| Katipunan Street | Northbound entry only from the West Service Road | ||||
| Quezon City | 10.942– 11.270 | 6.799– 7.003 |   N160 (A. Bonifacio Avenue) /AH 26 (E1) (NLEX) –Manila,Baguio | Balintawak Interchange | |
 N127 (Quirino Highway)[3] | Northbound access only. Access to East Service Road running parallel to NLEX. | ||||
| Kaingin Road / Howmart Road | Access from opposite direction via U-turn slot | ||||
| 12.425 | 7.721 | Dario Bridge I over Dario Creek | |||
| 12.680 | 7.879 | Culiat Bridge I overSan Juan River | |||
 N129 (Congressional Avenue) /Fernando Poe Jr. Avenue | Access from opposite directions via U-turn slot. Former traffic light intersection. | ||||
| Corregidor Street / Bansalangin Street | Access from opposite directions via U-turn slot | ||||
  N171 (West Avenue) /N173 (North Avenue) | Access to North Avenue from southbound and access to West Avenue from northbound via U-turn slot. Access toSM North EDSA andTriNoma. | ||||
| Trinoma Access Road/Mindanao Avenue Extension | Northbound access only. Access toTriNoma. | ||||
| Vertis North Access Road | Northbound access only. Access toVertis North Complex. | ||||
| North end of Quezon Avenue Flyover | |||||
| 15.432– 16.536 | 9.589– 10.275 |  N170 (Quezon Avenue) –Manila,QMC | Traffic light intersection. | ||
| Panay Avenue | Southbound access only. | ||||
| Mother Ignacia Avenue | Southbound access only. Access to the soon-be-demolishedABS-CBN Broadcasting Center,ELJ Communications Center, andSt. Mary's College of Quezon City. | ||||
| South end of Quezon Avenue Flyover | |||||
| Eugenio Lopez Drive | Southbound access only. Access to the soon-be-demolishedABS-CBN Broadcasting Center andELJ Communications Center. | ||||
| Scout Borromeo St / NIA South Road | Northbound and southbound access only. Site of theKamuning Footbridge. | ||||
| GMA Network Drive | Southbound access only. Access toGMA Network Center. | ||||
| North end of Kamuning Flyover | |||||
  N172 (Timog Avenue) /N174 (East Avenue) | Traffic light intersection. Access toGMA Network Center andLand Transportation Office head office. | ||||
| Kamias Road / Kamuning Road | Traffic light intersection. No left turn on both sides. | ||||
| South end of Kamuning Flyover | |||||
| 17.650 | 10.967 | Lagarian Bridge I over Diliman Creek | |||
| Ermin Garcia Street | Northbound/southbound access only. Access from opposite directions via U-turn slots (northbound via Kamuning U-turn slot and southbound via Aurora Boulevard U-turn slot.) Southbound side access to Ramon Magsaysay High School | ||||
| New York Street | Northbound/southbound access only. Access from opposite direction via U-turn slots (northbound via Kamuning U-turn slot and southbound via Aurora Boulevard U-turn slot). | ||||
| North end of Aurora Boulevard Underpass | |||||
  N180 /N59 (Aurora Boulevard) | Traffic light intersection. Access toAraneta Center. No left turn from northbound. | ||||
| General Roxas Street | Northbound access only. Access toAraneta Center. | ||||
| P.A. Bernardo Avenue | Southbound access only. | ||||
| South end of Aurora Boulevard Underpass | |||||
| North end of P. Tuazon Underpass | |||||
| Mayor Ignacio Santos Diaz Street / General MacArthur Street | Northbound/southbound access only. Access from opposite directions via U-turn slots (northbound via Aurora Boulevard U-turn slot and southbound via P. Tuazon U-turn slot). Access toAraneta Center from northbound. | ||||
| P. Tuazon Boulevard | Traffic light intersection. Access toAraneta Center. | ||||
| South end of P. Tuazon Underpass | |||||
| North end of Santolan Flyover | |||||
 N185 (Bonny Serrano Avenue) | Traffic light intersection. Access toCamp Crame andCamp Aguinaldo. | ||||
| South end of Santolan Flyover | |||||
| San Juan –Quezon City boundary | Annapolis Street | Southbound access only | |||
| San Juan –Mandaluyong –Quezon City boundary | Connecticut Street | Southbound access only. Access toGreenhills Shopping Center. | |||
| Mandaluyong –Quezon City boundary | 20.778– 21.659 | 12.911– 13.458 | White Plains Avenue | Northbound access only | |
| North end of Ortigas Flyover | |||||
 N60 (Ortigas Avenue) –Pasig,Marikina,Rizal | Southbound ramp ofEDSA–Ortigas Interchange. Access toOrtigas Center,Meralco Complex, andThe Medical City. | ||||
 N60 /N184 (Ortigas Avenue) | Traffic light intersection underEDSA–Ortigas Interchange. Access toRobinsons Galleria andEDSA Shrine. | ||||
| N184 (Ortigas Avenue) –Mandaluyong,Greenhills,Marikina,Rizal | Northbound ramp ofEDSA–Ortigas Interchange. Access toLa Salle Greenhills andGreenhills Shopping Center. | ||||
| South end of Ortigas Flyover | |||||
| Mandaluyong | Guadix Drive | Northbound access only. Access toAsian Development Bank. | |||
| Julia Vargas Avenue | Northbound access only. No right turn from Shaw Underpass. Access toSM Megamall. | ||||
| North end of Shaw Underpass | |||||
 N141 (Shaw Boulevard) –Pasig,Manila | Traffic light intersection. Access to Shangri-La Plaza and Starmall EDSA-Shaw. No left turn from both sides of EDSA to Shaw Boulevard. | ||||
| South end of Shaw Underpass | |||||
| Reliance Street | Northbound access only. Access toTV5 Media Center and United Laboratories (Unilab) head office. | ||||
| Boni Avenue /Pioneer Street | Northbound and southbound access only. | ||||
| Mandaluyong –Makati boundary | 25.000– 25.163 | 15.534– 15.636 | Guadalupe Bridge over thePasig River | ||
| Makati | 25.163– 26.854 | 15.636– 16.686 | J.P. Rizal Avenue | Guadalupe Interchange | |
| Bernardino Street / P. Burgos Street | No access from opposite directions. | ||||
| Orense Street | Northbound access only. Access toMMDA Metrobase. | ||||
| Estrella Street | Exit from northbound via flyover ramp. Access toPower Plant Mall. Connection withEstrella–Pantaleon Bridge. | ||||
| 27.132 | 16.859 |  N190 (Kalayaan Avenue) –BGC | Southbound access via U-turn slot. Access to EDSA southbound via flyover ramp. | ||
| Kalayaan Flyover | Southbound entrance only from theBonifacio Global City. | ||||
| Kalayaan Flyover | Northbound entrance only fromGil Puyat Avenue. | ||||
| N190 (Gil Puyat Avenue) / Buendia Avenue Extension | Northbound access to Buendia Avenue Extension accessible via U-turn slot at Ayala Avenue Intersection. | ||||
| East end of Ayala Underpass | |||||
| Ayala Avenue /McKinley Road | Traffic light intersection. Access from Ayala Avenue either through flyover ramp or traffic light intersection. Access toMakati Central Business District,Ayala Center,Forbes Park, andBonifacio Global City. | ||||
| Arnaiz Avenue / Pasay Road | Traffic light intersection. Access toDasmariñas Village. | ||||
| West end of Ayala Underpass | |||||
| Chino Roces Avenue | Connects with U-turn to EDSA northbound, also route for vehicles which exceeds the height of the Chino Roces Avenue underpass. | ||||
  N145 (Osmeña Highway) /AH 26 (E2) (South Luzon Expressway) –Manila,Alabang,Laguna,Batangas | Magallanes Interchange. Access toSTAR Tollway andBatangas City at the end of SLEX and STAR respectively, andBatangas International Port, and from northbound via at-grade roads. | ||||
| Lapu-Lapu Avenue | Entrance to EDSA-Osmeña service road only | ||||
| Magallanes Avenue | Traffic light intersection. Northbound entrance only. | ||||
| Makati –Pasay boundary | Evangelista Street | Southbound only. Access via U-turn slot under Magallanes Interchange | |||
| P. Santos Street | Access via u-turn slot under Magallanes Interchange. | ||||
| Pasay | C. Jose Street | Access via u-turn slot under Magallanes Interchange | |||
| 31.839 | 19.784 | Malibay Bridge over Malibay Creek | |||
| Tramo Street | Southbound ramp, and northbound at-grade intersection. Access to EDSA southbound via U-turn slot under Magallanes Interchange. | ||||
| N170 (Taft Avenue) | Pasay Rotonda. No left turn from EDSA southbound, no left turn to EDSA northbound from Taft Avenue. Access to EDSA southbound via u-turn slot under Magallanes interchange. | ||||
| F.B. Harrison Street | Access to opposite direction provided by U-turn slot (northbound at P. Celle Street and southbound fronting The Heritage Hotel). | ||||
| 32.285 | 20.061 |   AH 26 (N120) /N61 (Roxas Boulevard) –Manila,Cavite | Traffic light intersection. Access toManila–Cavite Expressway at the end of Roxas Boulevard, and opposite direction formerly provided by U-turn slot. South end of C-4 concurrency. Change from N1/AH26 to unnumbered highway. Former southern terminus (1965–1999). End of DPWH and start of Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) maintenance.[b] | ||
| Macapagal Boulevard | Traffic light intersection. Access toNAIA Expressway (NAIAX) andManila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX). | ||||
| Sunrise Drive | No access to opposite directions. | ||||
| J.W. Diokno Boulevard | Roundabout. Southern terminus. ServesSM Mall of Asia and surrounding areas. | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
Notes
This list is from theBonifacio Monument in the north to theSM Mall of Asia Globe rotunda in the south.
Anoverpass over the North Avenue–West Avenue Intersection and Mindanao Avenue Junction in the Triangle Park and a flyover over Congressional Avenue–Fernando Poe Jr. Avenue intersection in Muñoz are already approved and was slated to begin construction in 2013.[42] As of 2020, the project is currently on hold.
On October 13, 2011, RepresentativeRene Relampagos (Bohol–1st) filed House Bill (HB) No. 5422, proposing to rename Epifanio de los Santos Avenue as "Corazon Aquino Avenue." According to Relampagos, the idea to rename EDSA after Aquino, who led the 1986 People Power, was conceptualized in the aftermath of her death.[43] However, the measure only went as far as referral to theHouse Committee on Public Works and Highways on November 14, 2011.[44]
On April 2, 2013, then-President Benigno Aquino III gave the go-signal for the construction of a flyover at the perennially traffic-choked corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue in Pasay.[45]
The project is estimated to cost₱2.8 billion, with the flyover extending to about 1.4 kilometers (0.87 mi) each side and it will take one and a half years to complete the project.[45]
After stricter implementation of bus lanes and barrier separation through plastic barriers, theMetropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started to replace the orange barriers with a concrete permanent barrier used to separate the bus lanes from private vehicle lanes.[46]
With support fromSingapore, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority proposed the implementation ofcongestion pricing, based on theElectronic Road Pricing scheme on Singapore, on EDSA to alleviate traffic congestion, along with providing alternate routes and opening somegated community roads. Implementation is set for 2018, but Rene Santiago, a transport engineer and planner, criticized the proposal because it may only worsen congestion, along with the numerous intersections and side streets along EDSA.[47]
The congestion pricing proposal was revived again in 2025 by the MMDA, believing that improvements and projected capacity increases in the MRT-3 would allow them to more feasibly introduce congestion pricing andhigh-occupancy vehicle lanes.[48]
On August 18, 2023, the MMDA proposed converting the bicycle lanes on EDSA exclusive to bicycles into shared lanes for bicycles and motorcycles, claiming that the EDSA bicycle lanes are "underutilized", and also proposed plans to build an elevated walkway and bikeway on EDSA from Guadalupe to Cubao. A preliminary feasibility study will be conducted within the week, with a stakeholders' meeting with cyclists and motorcycle riders taking place on August 29, 2023.[49][50]
The proposal was criticized by sustainable transport advocates, who claimed that the proposed scheme would compromise the safety of cyclists and argued instead to carve an exclusive motorcycle lane from the regular lanes.[49][50] TheDepartment of Transportation will have the final say on the MMDA's proposal, which has jurisdiction over the EDSA bicycle lanes.[51]
The MMDA, together with the DILG, revived its proposal for shared bicycle and motorcycle lanes again in 2025, with the latter citing the need for a dedicated motorcycle lane.[52]
EDSA is planned to undergo a rehabilitation project initiated by theDepartment of Public Works and Highways. The project, slated to begin on June 16, 2025, involves phased road repairs, drainage upgrades, and the application of durableasphalt, starting with the segment between Pasay and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong.[53] The project is part of the broaderBuild Better More infrastructure program under the administration of PresidentFerdinand Marcos Jr.[54][55] It is also planned to be completed ahead of the 2026ASEAN Summits, which will be hosted by the Philippines.[56] However, on June 1, 2025, the project was temporarily suspended by President Marcos Jr. to search for a "better way."[57] It would later be pushed back to 2026, citing therainy season during the second half of 2025 as the cause.[58]
EDSA is frequently used as a protest site. In August 2012, theCatholic Church assembled a mass rally on EDSA to oppose theReproductive Health Bill.[59] On September 11, 2013, a prayer vigil calledEDSA Tayo was held at theEDSA Shrine, where around 500–700 people were gathered to call for the abolition of thePriority Development Assistance Fund.[60] On February 25, 2015, various groups held a demonstration along EDSA to demand that PresidentBenigno Aquino III stand down.[61][62] On August 27–31 of the same year,Iglesia ni Cristo adherentsstaged demonstrations along EDSA nearSM Megamall, calling on then-Justice SecretaryLeila De Lima to focus on issues such as theMamasapano clash instead of a case filed by former INC minister Isaias Samson Jr. against Church leaders.[63] On November 30, 2016, an anti-Marcos protest was held in thePeople Power Monument due to theburial of Ferdinand Marcos at theLibingan ng mga Bayani.[64][65] On November 5, 2017, critics of the Duterte administration attended a mass held in EDSA shrine to protest againstextrajudicial killings in the country.[66][67] On February 22, 2018, groups gathered at People Power Monument to hold a prayer vigil to show their opposition againstconstitutional reform.[68] On February 22, 2020, demonstrators gathered at the People Power Monument to call on PresidentRodrigo Duterte to resign from office.[69] On September 21, 2025, protests were held at the People Power Monument and EDSA Shrine, with thousands gathering for theTrillion Peso March to call for government transparency and accountability amidst theflood control projects controversy.[70]
The avenue is also used in political campaigns by several politicians, particularly those who had been involved in the EDSA Revolution such asJoseph Estrada andBenigno Aquino III.
EDSA was also featured in the filmThe Bourne Legacy. Portions of the road fromMagallanes Interchange toTaft Avenue were featured in a car chase wherein Aaron Cross, played byJeremy Renner, jumps from the Taft Avenue footbridge to a plying bus.[71][72]
Due to its notorious traffic congestion,Programang EDSA, a weekday rush hour radio program airing on90.7 Love Radio Manila in the early evening, is named after the avenue.[73]
Pablo of SB19 wrote and performed the song "EDSA" that describes the experience of driving along this avenue especially during rush hour.
Meanwhile, MMDA Traffic Engineering chief Neomie Recio also announced that the plastic barriers currently used to separate lanes would soon be replaced with more permanent, concrete separators to be provided by the DPWH.
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