Jose Abad Santos Avenue

Jose Abad Santos Avenue
Olongapo–Gapan Road Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road
Driving eastbound through San Fernando, Pampanga
Route information
Length	118 km (73 mi)
Component highways	N3 (Gapan to Olongapo)
Major junctions
East end	N1 / AH26 (Maharlika Highway) – Gapan, Nueva Ecija
	E1 (North Luzon Expressway) – San Fernando, Pampanga N2 (MacArthur Highway) – San Fernando, Pampanga N301 (Roman Superhighway) – Dinalupihan, Bataan N214 (Floridablanca–Dinalupihan Road) – Dinalupihan, Bataan E4 (Subic–Tipo Expressway) – Hermosa, Bataan
West end	N305 (Rizal Avenue) / N306 (Olongapo–Bugallon Road) – Olongapo
Location
Provinces	Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales
Major cities	Gapan, San Fernando, Olongapo
Highway system
Roads in the Philippines Highways Expressways List ← N2 N4 →

Jose Abad Santos Avenue, also known as Olongapo–Gapan Road and Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road is a 118-kilometre (73 mi) major highway spanning the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales in Central Luzon, Philippines. The highway is designated as the National Route 3 (N3) of the Philippine highway network.^[1]

Etymology

Jose Abad Santos Avenue was named after the late Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, a Kapampangan born in San Fernando on February 19, 1886. The avenue was formerly called Olongapo–Gapan Road and Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road. The name was changed in line with Republic Act No. 9477 signed by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on May 22, 2007. Nowadays, the avenue is commonly referred to by its acronym JASA, however, its old name is still used.^[2]

History

A portion of the road between MacArthur highway and North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

Jose Abad Santos Avenue traces its roots to the pre-colonial period. The Kapampangan empire expanded their trades throughout Central Luzon, forcing them to create roads adjacent to the Pampanga River. Since Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Rizal (Metro Manila) are readily accessible because the road networks to that locations exist, the empire could not access the province of Zambales and Bataan. Through the years, they developed land tracks accessible by foot and small wagons pulled by horses.

When the Spanish Colonials came in the Philippines, they developed the road built by the old empire. They widened the road, constructed wooden bridges, and connected it to the Olongapo, a very vital location which emabled them to easily access the Subic Bay, the site of their Naval Base.

When the Americans came, they paved the Olongapo Gapan Road and constructed concrete bridges, the longest is the one that traverses Great Pampanga River. These actions enabled them to connect their Air Field in Clark and their Naval Base in Subic Bay. Greater improvements on the road was made on this period.

When the World War II started, the Olongapo Gapan Road was crippled, halting the transportation throughout the entire span of the road. The Japanese bombed the road to stop the Americans and Filipino in the fortification of different bases which spans through the Central Luzon.

After the end of the War, the Philippine Government rehabilitated and repaired the whole road, paving all of the 118-kilometer long highway. New bridges was constructed, shoulders were improved and added some facilities.

During the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, some portions of a highway, especially its Bacolor and Magliman, San Fernando section, were buried in lahar and many bridges were destroyed. A year after the disaster, these sections were rehabilitated, which involved building new roads and bridges.

Today, the Olongapo Gapan Road, now called the Jose Abad Santos Avenue, designated as the National Road 3 by the Strong Republic Nautical Highway System, is the most significant toll-free road that connects Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales.

Route description

The road passes to Gapan, San Isidro and Cabiao in Nueva Ecija, Santa Ana, Arayat, Mexico, City of San Fernando, Bacolor, Guagua, and Lubao in Pampanga, Hermosa and Dinalupihan in Bataan, and finally to the city of Olongapo in Zambales.^[3] Various high voltage overhead power lines, most notably the Hermosa-Duhat-Balintawak and Hermosa-Calaguiman transmission lines of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), utilize the highway right of way from San Fernando Exit of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to Layac Junction for accessibility to work vehicles and also due to scarcity of land for dedicated right of way.

Intersections

Intersections are numbered by kilometre post, with Rizal Park in Manila designated as kilometre 0. 

Province	City/Municipality	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Nueva Ecija	Gapan			N1 (Pan–Philippine Highway) / AH26	Eastern terminus.
Pampanga	San Fernando			E1 (North Luzon Expressway)
				E1 (North Luzon Expressway)
Bataan	Dinalupihan			N301 (Roman Superhighway)
				N214 (Floridablanca–Dinalupihan Road)
	Hermosa			E4 (Subic–Tipo Expressway)
Olongapo				N305 (Rizal Avenue) / N306 (Olongapo–Bugallon Road)	Ulo ng Apo roundabout intersection. Western terminus.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Landmarks

The façade of SM City Pampanga

The Jose Abad Santos Avenue spans for about 118-kilometer, thus, many establishments and landmarks are built along side the highway. This landmarks are malls, historical sites, government facilities, and many more other establishments. Two major shopping malls along the road are SM City Pampanga, the second largest mall in Northern and Central Luzon, and Robinson's Star Mills.

See also

• Philippine Highway Network
• Abad Santos Avenue
• Jose Abad Santos

References