Kennon Road
Encyclopedia
Kennon Road 16.231875°N 120.507430°E is a roadway that connects to Baguio City
with the town of Rosario
, La Union
in the Philippines
. Begun in 1903 and opened for travel January 29, 1905, it was originally called the Benguet
Road and was later named in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman Walter Vere Kennon
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the help of Filipino and foreign workers. For travelers coming from Manila
or the provinces in the central plains of Luzon
it is the shortest route to Baguio.
Although Kennon is the shortest of the three major access roads, travel time is frequently as long as by the other two because of poor road conditions. It usually takes an experienced commuter from 50 minutes to an hour to negotiate the 41.2-kilometer steep and winding climb by car. The upward climb reveals a picturesque view of the mountains, lush vegetation, and pine trees as you get closer to Baguio. There are small settlements along the road, known as Camps 1 to 8 that were originally established by the original builders of the road, but have been occupied since by local residents. The Bued River flows along a rocky canyon from the lofty heights, and following this course the road was cut above the river bed. Kennon is a toll road with the lower tollgate located about 2.5 kilometers from the junction at Rosario, La Union
near Camp 1. The upper toll gate is about 5 km south of Baguio City near Camp 6, Tuba, Benguet
. The original road was a Macadam
Telford
-type road which was later improved into an all-weather asphalt roadway. More recently, some portions of Kennon Road have been replaced with concrete pavement.
The construction of the road commenced in 1903 by cutting across the mountains of Benguet with the combined efforts of Filipinos
, Americans
, Filipino-Chinese and Japanese
nationals, and was considered one of the most difficult and expensive civil engineering
projects of its day, with expenditures by the newly established colonial government in excess of $2.7 million. The steepest portion of the road between Camp 6 and Camp 7 in Baguio City is commonly known as "Zig-zag Road" because of the numerous switchbacks (see Hairpin turn
) required. The design of the road switchbacks along that section of the road are similar in construction to the agricultural rice terraces
found locally in Benguet
and the other mountain provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region
. More than 2,300 foreign and local workers worked on the road. Aside from Filipino engineers and construction workers and U.S. Army Engineers headed by Col. Lyman Kennon, foreigners from 36 countries were recruited to work on the road, but most of them were Japanese. About 1,500 Japanese contract workers persevered in the difficult road project. Hundreds of workers died from malaria while more plunged to their deaths while building the road. Some of the foreign road workers remained in Baguio to live permanently after the road was completed.
Kennon Road is one of the most hazardous roads in the country especially during the rainy seasons when most of the road accidents occur. The road is prone to closure due to landslides, particularly during especially heavy rains or during typhoon conditions.
City of Pines Website:
Baguio City
The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway...
with the town of Rosario
Rosario, La Union
Rosario is a 1st class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 49,025 people in 8,154 households.The Kennon Road starts from this town and ends at Baguio City...
, La Union
La Unión
La Union or La Unión may refer to:-Colombia:*La Unión, Antioquia*La Unión, Nariño*La Unión, Sucre*La Unión, Valle del Cauca-Peru:*La Unión Province, Peru...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Begun in 1903 and opened for travel January 29, 1905, it was originally called the Benguet
Benguet
Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is La Trinidad and borders, clockwise from the south, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya....
Road and was later named in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman Walter Vere Kennon
Lyman W.V. Kennon
Lyman Walter Vere Kennon was a career United States military officer in active service from 1881 to 1918, attaining the rank of brigadier general. During the Spanish-American War Kennon was in command of Company "E" 6th Infantry Regiment and was cited for bravery at San Juan Hill...
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the help of Filipino and foreign workers. For travelers coming from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
or the provinces in the central plains of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
it is the shortest route to Baguio.
Although Kennon is the shortest of the three major access roads, travel time is frequently as long as by the other two because of poor road conditions. It usually takes an experienced commuter from 50 minutes to an hour to negotiate the 41.2-kilometer steep and winding climb by car. The upward climb reveals a picturesque view of the mountains, lush vegetation, and pine trees as you get closer to Baguio. There are small settlements along the road, known as Camps 1 to 8 that were originally established by the original builders of the road, but have been occupied since by local residents. The Bued River flows along a rocky canyon from the lofty heights, and following this course the road was cut above the river bed. Kennon is a toll road with the lower tollgate located about 2.5 kilometers from the junction at Rosario, La Union
Rosario, La Union
Rosario is a 1st class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 49,025 people in 8,154 households.The Kennon Road starts from this town and ends at Baguio City...
near Camp 1. The upper toll gate is about 5 km south of Baguio City near Camp 6, Tuba, Benguet
Tuba, Benguet
Tuba is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 40,008 people in 7,210 households.-Location:...
. The original road was a Macadam
Macadam
Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...
Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
-type road which was later improved into an all-weather asphalt roadway. More recently, some portions of Kennon Road have been replaced with concrete pavement.
The construction of the road commenced in 1903 by cutting across the mountains of Benguet with the combined efforts of Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
, Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Filipino-Chinese and Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
nationals, and was considered one of the most difficult and expensive civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
projects of its day, with expenditures by the newly established colonial government in excess of $2.7 million. The steepest portion of the road between Camp 6 and Camp 7 in Baguio City is commonly known as "Zig-zag Road" because of the numerous switchbacks (see Hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
) required. The design of the road switchbacks along that section of the road are similar in construction to the agricultural rice terraces
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. This inscription has five sites: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces , Mayoyao Rice Terraces , Hungduan Rice Terraces and Nagacadan Rice Terraces , all in the Ifugao Province, the...
found locally in Benguet
Benguet
Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is La Trinidad and borders, clockwise from the south, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya....
and the other mountain provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region
Cordillera Administrative Region
The Cordillera Administrative Region is a region in the Philippines composed of the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, as well as Baguio City, the regional center. The Cordillera Administrative Region encompasses most of the areas within the Cordillera...
. More than 2,300 foreign and local workers worked on the road. Aside from Filipino engineers and construction workers and U.S. Army Engineers headed by Col. Lyman Kennon, foreigners from 36 countries were recruited to work on the road, but most of them were Japanese. About 1,500 Japanese contract workers persevered in the difficult road project. Hundreds of workers died from malaria while more plunged to their deaths while building the road. Some of the foreign road workers remained in Baguio to live permanently after the road was completed.
Kennon Road is one of the most hazardous roads in the country especially during the rainy seasons when most of the road accidents occur. The road is prone to closure due to landslides, particularly during especially heavy rains or during typhoon conditions.
External links
Baguio City/City of Pines Website: