U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in the U.S. state of Maine is a major north–south section of the United States Numbered Highway System, serving the eastern part of the state. It parallels the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire north through Portland, Brunswick, and Belfast to Calais, and then the St. Croix River and the rest of the Canada–United States border via Houlton to Fort Kent. The portion along the ocean, known as the Coastal Route, provides a scenic alternate to Interstate 95 (I-95).
Route information | ||||
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Maintained by MaineDOT | ||||
Length | 526.05 mi[1][2] (846.60 km) | |||
Existed | 1926–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | US 1 at the New Hampshire state line | |||
North end | Route 161 in Clair, NB | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Maine | |||
Counties | York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, Washington, Aroostook | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Route description
editUS 1 enters Maine from New Hampshire by bridging the Piscataqua River at Kittery on the Memorial Bridge. Following the sandy southern Maine coast, the highway bridges the Cape Neddick River in Cape Neddick; the Josias and Ogunquit rivers in Ogunquit; the Webhannet River in Wells; and the Merriland, Mousam, and Kennebunk rivers in Kennebunk. After bridging the Saco River between Biddeford and Saco, the highway bridges the Nonesuch River in Scarborough.
In South Portland, US 1 merges with I-295 at exit 4 and continues north through downtown Portland to Tukey's Bridge, now on I-295, before separating at exit 9. The Charles Loring Highway is part of US 1 in Portland. Like Loring Air Force Base, it is named for Charles J. Loring Jr.
North of Portland, the highway bridges the Presumpscot River (via the Martin's Point Bridge) in Falmouth, the Royal River in Yarmouth, and the Cousins River in Freeport before following the Androscoggin River through Brunswick and crossing the Kennebec River on the Sagadahoc Bridge between Bath and Woolwich. The section between Brunswick (at its junction with US 201) and Bath is a four-lane freeway, and the route continues as a four-lane expressway through most of Bath, then crosses on a two-lane viaduct before becoming four lanes again on the bridge over the Kennebec River. It then becomes a three-lane road (with center turning lane) through Woolwich and then reverts to two lanes after that as it continues north toward Wiscasset.
The highway bridges the Sheepscot River in Wiscasset, the Damariscotta River in Damariscotta, the Medomak River in Waldoboro, and the Saint George River in Thomaston before reaching Rockland.
In Rockland, there is a bypass of downtown (US 1A) which travels along Broadway and Maverick streets, while US 1 itself has a one way pair with Main and Union streets in the downtown Rockland area (Main Street traffic goes north with two lanes, while Union Street traffic is southbound).
The highway follows the coast of Penobscot Bay bridging the Goose River in Rockport, the Ducktrap River in Lincolnville, the Little River in Northport, and the Passagassawakeag River in Belfast before bridging the Penobscot River at Bucksport. The Atlantic coast is less frequently visible as the highway bridges the Orland River in Orland, the Union River in Ellsworth, Sullivan Harbor in Sullivan, the Narraguagus River in Cherryfield, the Harrington River in Harrington, the Pleasant River at Columbia Falls, the Indian River in Addison, and the Chandler River in Jonesboro.
After bridging the East Machias and Machias rivers in Machias, the highway turns inland along Passamaquoddy Bay to bridge the Orange River in Whiting, the Dennys River in Dennysville, and the Pennamaquan River in Pembroke. The highway then follows the St. Croix River through Calais and turns inland at Woodland. The interior route bridges Grand Falls Flowage at Princeton, the Meduxnekeag River in Houlton, the North Branch Meduxnekeag River in Monticello, and the Aroostook River in Presque Isle before following the Saint John River upstream from Van Buren to Fort Kent.
From Madawaska to its "northern" terminus at the Clair–Fort Kent Bridge in Fort Kent, US 1 north actually travels geographically south.[3] The route's most northerly geographic point is at its intersection with the Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge in Madawaska, across the Saint John River from Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada.
History
editUS 1 south of Calais was initially part of the Atlantic Highway and became Route 1 when the New England road marking system was established in 1922.[4] The northward continuation from Calais was later designated as part of Route 24. In the original plan, Route 24 was to run from Brunswick to Moosehead Lake in Greenville. By 1925, however, Maine had transferred the Route 24 designation to a completely new alignment on the eastern edge of the state, running from Calais to Madawaska at a border crossing with Edmundston, New Brunswick.
The initial 1925 plan for the U.S. Route system took US 1 along the better-quality inland route (then Route 15)[5] between Bangor and Houlton, and placed US 2 on the coastal route.[6] This changed in the final 1926 plan, when the inland shortcut—now generally followed by I-95—became part of US 2.[7]
The Waldo–Hancock Bridge opened in 1931,[8] allowing US 1 to bypass Bangor; the old route became US 1A.
The portion between Portland and Brunswick was rebuilt, mainly as a four-lane divided highway, in the 1950s, and later absorbed into I-95 (now I-295). A freeway from Brunswick east to Bath was built in the 1960s.
Major junctions
editCounty | Location[1] | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
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York | Kittery | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 1 south – Portsmouth | Continuation from New Hampshire over the Piscataqua River |
0.58 | 0.93 | SR 103 – Eliot, Navy Yard, Kittery Foreside | |||
1.51 | 2.43 | SR 236 to I-95 south (Maine Turnpike) / US 1 Byp. south – Kittery Point, New Hampshire, Massachusetts | Rotary; southern end of southbound concurrency with SR 236 | ||
1.70 | 2.74 | SR 236 north – South Berwick, Eliot | Northern end of southbound concurrency with SR 236 | ||
1.79 | 2.88 | US 1 Byp. south – New Hampshire, Massachusetts | Southbound left exit and northbound left entrance; northern terminus of US 1 Byp. | ||
2.07 | 3.33 | I-95 / Maine Turnpike – Portland, Augusta, Portsmouth, Boston | Exit 3 on I-95 / Turnpike | ||
2.39 | 3.85 | SR 101 north – Eliot | Southern terminus of SR 101 | ||
York | 6.72 | 10.81 | SR 91 north – South Berwick | Southern terminus of SR 91 | |
7.09 | 11.41 | US 1A north – York Village, York Harbor, York Beach | Southern terminus of US 1A | ||
7.43 | 11.96 | I-95 / Maine Turnpike | Exit 7 on I-95 / Turnpike; access via Spur Road | ||
10.69 | 17.20 | US 1A south | Northern terminus of US 1A | ||
Wells | 18.28 | 29.42 | SR 9B west – North Berwick, Berwick | Eastern terminus of SR 9B | |
20.27 | 32.62 | SR 9 west / SR 109 north to I-95 / Maine Turnpike – Sanford | Southern end of concurrency with SR 9; southern terminus of SR 109 | ||
22.12 | 35.60 | SR 9 east – Kennebunkport, Kennebunk | Northern end of concurrency with SR 9 | ||
Kennebunk | 25.10 | 40.39 | SR 9A west / SR 99 west – Sanford | Southern end of concurrency with SR 9A; eastern terminus of SR 99 | |
25.46 | 40.97 | SR 35 north to I-95 / Maine Turnpike | Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 35 | ||
25.50 | 41.04 | SR 9A east / SR 35 south – Kennebunkport | Northern end of concurrency with SR 9 / SR 35 | ||
Biddeford | 31.79 | 51.16 | To I-95 / Maine Turnpike / SR 111 | Biddeford Connector | |
32.94– 33.01 | 53.01– 53.12 | SR 111 to I-95 / Maine Turnpike – Biddeford Pool, Alfred | Brief concurrency with SR 111 | ||
Saco | 34.93 | 56.21 | SR 5 north / SR 112 to SR 9 – Bar Mills, Buxton | Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 5 | |
35.82 | 57.65 | SR 5 south – Old Orchard Beach | Northern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 5 | ||
35.91 | 57.79 | I-195 to I-95 / Maine Turnpike | No exit to I-195 east; Exit 2 on I-195 | ||
38.54 | 62.02 | SR 98 east – Old Orchard Beach | Western terminus of SR 98 | ||
Cumberland | Scarborough | 40.64 | 65.40 | SR 9 west (Pine Point Road) – Old Orchard Beach | Southern end of concurrency with SR 9 |
43.73 | 70.38 | SR 207 south – Prouts Neck SR 114 north – Gorham | Northern terminus of SR 207 Southern terminus of SR 114 | ||
44.89 | 72.24 | To I-95 / Maine Turnpike / I-295 north – Portland | Interchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access via SR 701 | ||
South Portland | 46.26 | 74.45 | To I-95 / Maine Turnpike / I-295 north | Access via SR 703 | |
46.39 | 74.66 | SR 9 east – South Portland | Northern end of concurrency with SR 9 | ||
47.97 | 77.20 | Veterans Memorial Bridge to US 1A – Portland Waterfront | Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
48.40 | 77.89 | I-295 south – South Portland, Scarborough | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; southern end of concurrency with I-295; Exit 4 on I-295 south | ||
South Portland–Portland line | 48.56 | 78.15 | Fore River | ||
Portland | 49.32 | 79.37 | SR 22 / US 1A (Congress Street) | I-295 Exit 5; signed as Exits 5A (east) and 5B (west) southbound | |
50.21 | 80.81 | SR 100 south (Forest Avenue) | I-295 Exit 6A; US 1 removed from Forest Avenue in May 2007 | ||
SR 100 north (Forest Avenue) / US 302 west | I-295 Exit 6B | ||||
50.75 | 81.67 | US 1A (Franklin Street) | I-295 Exit 7 | ||
51.43 | 82.77 | SR 26 south (Washington Avenue) | I-295 Exit 8; southbound signage; southbound exit and northbound entrance; southern end of concurrency with SR 26 | ||
51.59 | 83.03 | SR 26 north (Washington Avenue) | I-295 Exit 8; northbound signage; northbound exit and southbound entrance; northern end of concurrency with SR 26 | ||
51.83 | 83.41 | US 1 south / SR 26 north (Washington Avenue) / Baxter Boulevard | I-295 Exit 9; southbound signage; southbound exit and northbound entrance; US 1 removed from Baxter Boulevard in May 2007 | ||
51.99 | 83.67 | I-295 north – Falmouth, Brunswick | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; northern end of concurrency with I-295; Exit 9 on I-295 north | ||
Portland–Falmouth line | 52.65 | 84.73 | Martin Point Bridge over the Presumpscot River | ||
Falmouth | 54.03 | 86.95 | SR 88 north | Southern terminus of SR 88 | |
55.22 | 88.87 | Bucknam Road to I-295 | |||
55.54 | 89.38 | I-495 west (Falmouth Spur) to I-95 / Maine Turnpike – Lewiston, Kittery | |||
Cumberland | 58.63 | 94.36 | Tuttle Road to SR 88 – Cumberland Center, Cumberland Foreside | Grade-separated intersection | |
Yarmouth | 59.78– 59.95 | 96.21– 96.48 | I-295 – Freeport, Portland | Exit 15 on I-295 | |
61.04 | 98.23 | SR 115 | Interchange | ||
61.98 | 99.75 | SR 88 south – Falmouth | Northern terminus of SR 88 | ||
62.07– 62.25 | 99.89– 100.18 | I-295 – Brunswick, Portland | Exit 17 on I-295 | ||
Freeport | 65.63 | 105.62 | Desert Road to I-295 – Brunswick, Augusta, Portland | Exit 20 on I-295 | |
67.17 | 108.10 | SR 125 north / SR 136 north to I-295 – Durham | |||
68.70 | 110.56 | I-295 north | Exit 24 on I-295 | ||
Brunswick | 73.93 | 118.98 | I-295 – Freeport, Portland, Topsham, Augusta | Rotary | |
75.74 | 121.89 | SR 24 south (Maine Street) / SR 123 south – Harpswell | Northbound signage; southern end of limited-access segment | ||
US 201 north / SR 24 north – Topsham | Southbound signage | ||||
76.42 | 122.99 | SR 196 west to SR 24 / I-295 – Topsham, Lewiston | Eastern terminus of SR 196, Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 24 | ||
78.50 | 126.33 | SR 24 – Cook's Corner, Brunswick Executive Airport, Orr's-Bailey Islands | Northern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 24 | ||
Cumberland–Sagadahoc county line | Brunswick–West Bath line | 81.16 | 130.61 | New Meadows River | |
Sagadahoc | West Bath | 81.32 | 130.87 | New Meadows Road – West Bath | |
Bath | 82.98 | 133.54 | Congress Avenue / Richardson Street – Bath | Richardson street only appears on northbound signage; Bath only appears on southbound signage | |
83.57 | 134.49 | SR 209 south – Phippsburg | Northbound signage; northern terminus of SR 209 | ||
84.15 | 135.43 | To SR 209 south – Phippsburg, Bath | Southbound signage; access to Visitor Center | ||
Bath–Woolwich line | 84.29 | 135.65 | Sagadahoc Bridge over the Kennebec River | ||
Woolwich | 84.64 | 136.21 | SR 127 south – Georgetown, Reid State Park, Arrowsic | Southern end of concurrency with SR 127; northern end of limited-access segment | |
84.93 | 136.68 | SR 127 north | Northern end of concurrency with SR 127 | ||
Lincoln | Wiscasset | 90.73 | 146.02 | SR 144 – Westport | |
94.03 | 151.33 | SR 27 north – Augusta, Gardiner | Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 27 | ||
94.31 | 151.78 | SR 218 | |||
Wiscasset–Edgecomb line | 94.73 | 152.45 | Sheepscot Bridge over the Sheepscot River | ||
Edgecomb | 95.92 | 154.37 | SR 27 south – Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor | Northern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 27 | |
Newcastle | 101.12 | 162.74 | US 1 Bus. to SR 129 / SR 130 / SR 215 – Pemaquid Point, Pemaquid Beach, Damariscotta, Bristol | Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance; southern terminus of US 1 Bus | |
102.11 | 164.33 | SR 215 – Newcastle, Damariscotta, Damariscotta Mills | Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
Damariscotta | 104.03 | 167.42 | US 1 Bus. – Bristol, South Bristol, Pemaquid, Pemaquid Point, Pemaquid Beach, Damariscotta | Northern terminus of US 1 Bus | |
Waldoboro | 111.58 | 179.57 | SR 32 – Waldoboro, Bremen, Jefferson | ||
112.42 | 180.92 | SR 220 – Friendship, Washington | |||
113.34 | 182.40 | SR 235 – Union, Hope | |||
Knox | Warren | 118.01 | 189.92 | SR 90 east – Camden, Rockport | Western terminus of SR 90 |
121.21 | 195.07 | SR 97 (Cushing Road) – Friendship | |||
Thomaston | 122.36 | 196.92 | SR 131 north – Union | Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 131 | |
124.13 | 199.77 | SR 131 south – St. George | Northern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 131 | ||
Rockland | 127.15 | 204.63 | US 1A (Broadway) | Southern terminus of US 1A | |
127.60 | 205.35 | SR 73 south | Northern terminus of SR 73 | ||
128.66 | 207.06 | US 1A / SR 17 (Maverick Street) – Thomaston, Union | Northern terminus of US 1A | ||
Rockport | 133.83 | 215.38 | SR 90 west – Warren | Eastern terminus of SR 90 | |
Camden | 135.77 | 218.50 | SR 105 – Hope, Appleton | ||
135.98 | 218.84 | SR 52 – Lincolnville Center | |||
Waldo | Lincolnville | 141.59 | 227.87 | SR 173 (Beach Road / McKay Road) | |
Belfast | 153.89 | 247.66 | SR 52 – Lincolnville Center | ||
154.30 | 248.32 | SR 3 west – Belfast, Augusta | Interchange; southern end of concurrency with SR 3 | ||
154.80– 155.11 | 249.13– 249.63 | SR 7 / SR 137 – Belfast, Brooks, Freedom | Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance via High Street | ||
155.32 | 249.96 | Passagassawakeag River | |||
155.60 | 250.41 | SR 141 – Swanville | |||
Stockton Springs | 165.03 | 265.59 | US 1A – Winterport, Bangor | Southern terminus of US 1A | |
Prospect | 171.14 | 275.42 | SR 174 – Fort Knox | ||
Waldo–Hancock county line | Prospect–Verona Island line | 171.33 | 275.73 | Penobscot Narrows Bridge over the Penobscot River | |
Hancock | Bucksport | 172.71 | 277.95 | SR 15 north – Bucksport, Bangor | Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 15 |
Orland | 173.86 | 279.80 | SR 46 – Dedham, East Holden | ||
174.48 | 280.80 | SR 175 – Orland, Castine | |||
177.11 | 285.03 | SR 15 south – Penobscot, Blue Hill, Deer Isle | Northern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 15 | ||
181.29 | 291.76 | SR 176 – Surry | |||
Ellsworth | 191.65 | 308.43 | SR 172 – Blue Hill, Surry | ||
191.85 | 308.75 | SR 230 (Water Street) | |||
192.13 | 309.20 | US 1A – Bangor | Northern terminus of US 1A | ||
193.16 | 310.86 | SR 3 east – Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park | Northern end of concurrency with SR 3 | ||
194.03 | 312.26 | SR 184 – Lamoine | |||
Hancock | 197.86 | 318.42 | SR 182 – Cherryfield | ||
Sullivan | 204.32 | 328.82 | SR 200 – Franklin | ||
205.31 | 330.41 | SR 185 – Sorrento | |||
206.90 | 332.97 | SR 183 – Tunk Lake | |||
Gouldsboro | 210.35 | 338.53 | SR 186 – Winter Harbor, Birch Harbor | ||
211.60 | 340.54 | SR 195 – Prospect Harbor, Corea | |||
213.51 | 343.61 | SR 186 – Prospect Harbor, Winter Harbor, Birch Harbor | |||
Washington | Milbridge | 223.81 | 360.19 | US 1A – Calais, Machias, Harrington | Southern terminus of US 1A |
Cherryfield | 228.78 | 368.19 | SR 182 – Franklin, Ellsworth | ||
228.95 | 368.46 | SR 193 – Deblois | |||
Harrington | 235.54 | 379.06 | US 1A – Milbridge, Ellsworth | Northern terminus of US 1A | |
Columbia Falls | 241.13 | 388.06 | SR 187 – Addison, Jonesport, Beals | ||
Jonesboro | 246.97 | 397.46 | SR 187 – Jonesport, Beals Island | ||
250.08 | 402.46 | US 1A – Whitneyville | Southern terminus of US 1A | ||
Machias | 255.77 | 411.62 | SR 92 – Machiasport | ||
255.92 | 411.86 | SR 192 (Colonial Way) – Wesley | |||
256.34 | 412.54 | US 1A – Whitneyville | Northern terminus of US 1A | ||
East Machias | 260.15 | 418.67 | SR 191 north – Baring Plantation | Southern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 191 | |
260.24 | 418.82 | SR 191 south – Cutler | Northern end of wrong-way concurrency with SR 191 | ||
Whiting | 272.87 | 439.14 | SR 189 – Lubec | ||
Dennysville | 282.27 | 454.27 | SR 86 – Dennysville | ||
Pembroke | 286.72 | 461.43 | SR 214 – Meddybemps | ||
Perry | 293.32 | 472.05 | SR 190 – Pleasant Point, Eastport | ||
Calais | 313.82 | 505.04 | SR 9 east – St. Stephen NB, International Bridge | Southern end of concurrency with SR 9 | |
316.00 | 508.55 | International Avenue to Route 1 – St. Stephen, St. John | |||
Baring | 319.48 | 514.15 | SR 191 – Machias | ||
Baileyville | 320.73 | 516.16 | SR 9 west – Bangor | Northern end of concurrency with SR 9 | |
Topsfield | 350.08 | 563.40 | SR 6 – Lincoln, Vanceboro, St. Croix NB, Springfield | ||
Danforth | 370.51 | 596.28 | SR 169 – Prentiss, Springfield | ||
Aroostook | Houlton | 404.43 | 650.87 | US 2 east – Woodstock NB | Southern end of concurrency with US 2 |
404.50 | 650.98 | US 2A – Bangor | |||
404.79 | 651.45 | US 2 west – Island Falls | Northern end of concurrency with US 2 | ||
405.54– 405.68 | 652.65– 652.88 | I-95 – New Brunswick, Canada, Bangor | Exit 302 on I-95 | ||
Mars Hill | 432.00 | 695.24 | US 1A – Fort Fairfield | Southern terminus of US 1A | |
Presque Isle | 446.24 | 718.15 | SR 10 – Easton | ||
446.87 | 719.17 | SR 167 – Fort Fairfield | |||
447.73 | 720.55 | SR 163 to SR 167 / SR 227 – Fort Fairfield, Ashland | |||
448.07 | 721.10 | SR 164 – Washburn | |||
Caribou | 455.76 | 733.47 | SR 164 to SR 228 – Caribou | ||
458.63 | 738.09 | SR 161 south / SR 161B (Fort Street) – Fort Fairfield | Southern end of concurrency with SR 161 | ||
459.20 | 739.01 | SR 89 west to SR 164 / SR 228 / SR 161B – Caribou | Southern end of concurrency with SR 89 | ||
459.67 | 739.77 | SR 161 north – Van Buren | Northern end of concurrency with SR 161 | ||
459.89 | 740.12 | SR 89 east – Limestone | Northern end of concurrency with SR 89 | ||
461.34 | 742.45 | SR 161 | Grade-separated intersection | ||
Van Buren | 481.06 | 774.19 | US 1A – Limestone | Northern terminus of US 1A | |
Frenchville | 513.06 | 825.69 | SR 162 – St. Agatha | ||
Fort Kent | 524.97 | 844.86 | SR 161 south – Caribou | Southern end of concurrency with SR 161 | |
525.48 | 845.68 | SR 11 (Pleasant Street) | |||
525.92 | 846.39 | SR 161 north – Allagash | Northern end of concurrency with SR 161 | ||
526.05 | 846.60 | Route 161 north – Clair | Continuation beyond Fort Kent–Clair Border Crossing on the Clair–Fort Kent Bridge over Saint John River into New Brunswick; northern terminus of US 1 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
edit- ^ a b c "MaineDOT Public Map Viewer". Maine Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, United States Numbered Highways, 1989 Edition Archived 2007-02-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "47°18'56.0"N 68°22'39.3"W" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
- ^ New York Times, Motor Sign Uniformity, April 16, 1922, p. 98
- ^ Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas, 1926, accessed via the Broer Map Library
- ^ Joint Board on Interstate Highways (1925). "Appendix VI: Descriptions of the Interstate Routes Selected, with Numbers Assigned". Report of Joint Board on Interstate Highways, October 30, 1925, Approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, November 18, 1925 (Report). Washington, DC: United States Department of Agriculture. p. 49. OCLC 733875457, 55123355, 71026428. Retrieved November 14, 2017 – via Wikisource.
- ^ Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Maine Department of Transportation, Waldo-Hancock Bridge, accessed October 2007
External links
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