Circumferential Road 2

The development of a major road network in Manila was first conceived in the Metropolitan Thoroughfare Plan of 1945, predicting that the metropolis would expand further to the shorelines of Laguna de Bay. The plan proposed the laying of circumferential roads 1 to 6 and radial roads 1 to 10.^[4]

The concept was to connect already existing short road segments to form C-2. To be joined are Calle Kapulong (Capulong), Calle Tayuman, Calle Governor Forbes, Calle Nagtahan found north of the Pasig River, and Calle Canonigo on the south bank of the Pasig.^[5] The Nagtahan Bridge, the widest bridge crossing the Pasig River until it was surpassed by the Guadalupe Bridge in 1963, connected these two sections.

Older roads date back to the early 19th century under Spanish rule. Calle Canonigo (now Quirino Avenue Extension) was laid out to connect Plaza Dilao and Paco railroad station to Calle Isaac Peral (now United Nations Avenue).^[6] The road perpendicular to Canonigo leading to the Pasig River was a narrow street called Calle Luengo in Pandacan.^[7]

A 1915 map of Manila shows that Calle Kapulong was a proposed short street accessible via Calle Velasquez.^[5] A 1934 map of Manila by the YMCA shows Calle Tayuman starting at Calle Sande (now Nicolas Zamora Street) and Calle Juan Luna and ending near the San Lazaro Hippodrome.^[8] The road then connects to Calle Governor Forbes (now Lacson Avenue), which stretches until Calle Lealtad (now Fajardo). Calle Nagtahan connects the Santa Mesa Rotonda to the Pasig River. South of the river, only Calle Canonigo was existing. Harrison Boulevard (now Quirino Avenue) was then built during the Commonwealth period to connect Calle Herrán (now Pedro Gil Street) to Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas Boulevard). Eventually, Calle Luengo was extended to Calle Herran.