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| Marikina–Infanta Highway | |
|---|---|
| Name | Marikina–Infanta Highway |
| Former names | Marcos Highway, Marilaque Road, Marikina–Infanta Road |
| Length km | 110 |
| Direction a | West |
| Terminus a | Marikina |
| Direction b | East |
| Terminus b | Infanta, Quezon |
| Provinces | Metro Manila, Rizal, Quezon |
| Cities | Marikina, Antipolo, Tanay, Pililla, Jalajala, Baras, Infanta, Quezon |
Marikina–Infanta Highway is a principal arterial roadway linking Marikina in Metro Manila to Infanta, Quezon on the eastern seaboard of Luzon. The highway traverses urban, suburban and mountainous terrain, providing a strategic corridor between the Pasig River basin, the Rizal Province highlands and the Sierra Madre foothills. It is a vital route for passenger travel, freight movement, and access to recreational sites such as Hinulugang Taktak, Daranak Falls, and the Masungi Georeserve.
The highway begins in western Marikina near the junction with Marcos Highway and connects to arterial links servicing Pasig and Quezon City, then proceeds eastward through Antipolo where it intersects roads to Cogeo, San Mateo, and Cainta. Continuing into Rizal it ascends through barangays adjoining the Hinulugang Taktak Protected Landscape and skirts the southern slopes of the Sierra Madre range toward Tanay. The alignment passes through rural and agroforestry zones near Pililla and Jalajala, crosses watershed areas draining to Laguna de Bay, and terminates at the coastal municipality of Infanta, Quezon where it meets provincial networks linking to Real, Quezon and General Nakar. The corridor interfaces with regional routes such as roads to Lopez, Quezon, Tayabas, and feeder roads to tourist destinations like Mount Daraitan and Tinipak River.
The route evolved from precolonial trails used by indigenous communities that later integrated into Spanish-era caminos connecting the Pasig basin to eastern Luzon trading posts like Infanta, Quezon. During the American colonial period and the Commonwealth era, the alignment was formalized with infrastructure projects related to the Philippine Commonwealth road programs and improvements supporting access to agricultural hinterlands. Postwar reconstruction and the Philippine Highway Act era saw paving and widening to accommodate motorized transport linking Manila to eastern provinces. In the late 20th century the roadway was expanded and renamed in parts—popularly known as Marcos Highway during the martial law years—while municipal and provincial administrations invested in slope stabilization after major storms associated with typhoons such as Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) and Typhoon Rolly (Goni). Recent decades have featured rehabilitation projects coordinated among Department of Public Works and Highways (Philippines), Rizal Provincial Government, and municipal governments of Antipolo and Infanta, Quezon.
Key western termini and junctions include intersections with Marcos Highway near Marikina River, links to C-5 Road, and connectors to Ortigas Avenue serving Pasig and Ortigas Center. In Antipolo the highway intersects municipal roads toward Hinulugang Taktak, Sumulong Highway, and provincial roads feeding Paco Park-adjacent thoroughfares. Mid-route crossings serve barangays providing access to Pililla Reservoir and roads to Jala-jala and the Laguna de Bay shoreline. The eastern terminus at Infanta, Quezon connects with provincial roads that lead to Real, Quezon, General Nakar, and coastal communities facing the Philippine Sea.
Along the corridor municipal centers such as Marikina City Hall, Antipolo Cathedral, and municipal halls of Tanay and Infanta, Quezon provide administrative services and emergency response coordination. Roadside facilities include fuel stations operated by national firms like Petron Corporation, Shell plc, and Caltex (Chevron Philippines), bus terminals serving operators such as Jac Liner, Rural Transit, and local jeepney networks. Health services along the route include hospitals like Antipolo City Hospital and clinics affiliated with Rizal Medical Center, while lodging options range from guesthouses near Daranak Falls to resorts in Pililla. Tourist information centers and ranger stations serving protected areas such as Masungi Georeserve and watershed protection areas offer guides, permits, and safety briefings.
The highway supports intercity buses, provincial public utility jeepneys, and a mix of private vehicles and freight trucks transporting agricultural products, construction materials, and consumer goods to and from Metro Manila markets like Divisoria and Quiapo. Peak congestion occurs near urban nodes including Marikina, Antipolo, and barangay junctions connecting to Sumulong Highway, exacerbated during holiday travel to destinations such as Daranak Falls and Jl. Pasig River tourism sites. Weather-related disruptions from monsoon rains and typhoons cause landslides and flooding that have necessitated closures and emergency evacuations involving agencies like National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and local disaster risk units. Public transport fares and service frequencies are regulated by bodies including the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Planned interventions involve widening segments, slope stabilization, and drainage upgrades spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (Philippines) in coordination with the Rizal Provincial Government and municipal governments of Antipolo and Infanta, Quezon to improve resilience against typhoons and floods. Proposals include bus rapid transit corridors linking Marikina to Antipolo and integrated transport hubs connecting to LRT Line 2 extensions and proposed rail projects serving eastern Luzon corridors discussed by the Department of Transportation (Philippines). Environmental mitigation plans coordinate with agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and non-governmental organizations like Haribon Foundation and WWF Philippines to protect watersheds and biodiversity hotspots along the Sierra Madre.