Bundesautobahn 44
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| Bundesautobahn 44 | |
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| Route information | |
| Length: | 266 km (165 mi) |
| Location | |
| States: | North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, (planned Thuringia) |
| Highway system | |
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Bundesautobahn 44 (translates from German as Federal Motorway 44, short form Autobahn 44, abbreviated as BAB 44 or A 44) is a German Autobahn. It consists of three main parts and a few smaller parts. It begins in Aachen at the German–Belgian border and ends near Kassel. Before the German unification it was an unimportant provincial motorway but after this event it became an integral part of the German highway system. The A 44 is a highly frequented link between the Rhine-Ruhr-Area and the new German states, especially Thuringia, and by proxy, eastern European states like Poland and Ukraine.
History of construction
The first section of this motorway which was opened was the connection between Aachen and the interchange Aachen. This was in 1963.
Auxiliary runway for military aircraft
The section Geseke-Büren was constructed as an auxiliary runway. This section is even and straight, without any constructions like bridges and the crash-barriers can be taken out. It was constructed to be a runway for US-military aircraft in a war with NATO's opponent, the Warsaw Pact. At both ends of the section there are parking lots for parking and maintenance of the aircraft.
International E-road network
The Lichtenbusch-interchange Aachen section is part of the European route E 40. Between interchange Dortmund-Unna and interchange Kassel-Süd (Kassel south) the A 44 is part of the European route E 331.
Constructions
Interchange Neersen
Interchange Neersen is a typical cloverleaf interchange.
After the opening of the Flughafenbrücke near Düsseldorf Airport the connections to and from the A 52 were extended. Since the opening two ramps have been closed. If you enter the network at Moenchengladbach-Ost you cannot change directly to the Roermond-bound direction of A 52 and if you approach from Krefeld, you cannot change directly to the Düsseldorf-bound direction. To reactivate these connections two new bridges are necessary. Construction has been in progress since January 2006. When construction is complete the interchange will have the following connections:
Connections from A 44 to A 52
| direction | kind of connection |
|---|---|
| Moenchengladbach–Düsseldorf | tangential ramp |
| Krefeld–Roermond | tangential ramp |
| Moenchengladbach–Roermond | using the ramp Moenchengladbach–Düsseldorf and via the northwestern loop |
| Krefeld–Düsseldorf | loop (270°) |
Connections from A 52 to A 44
| direction | kind of connection |
|---|---|
| Düsseldorf–Moenchengladbach | loop (270°) |
| Roermond–Krefeld | a bridge which will be above A 44 will be constructed |
| Roermond–Moenchengladbach | loop (270°) |
| Düsseldorf–Krefeld | tangential ramp |
Plans
Extension near Kassel
Near Kassel, the Autobahn will be extended to Thuringia. The following sections are planned:
| section | status | length (km) | costs (Million €) |
|---|---|---|---|
| interchange Kassel-Ost – jct Helsa-Ost | project investigations | 17.5 | 287 |
| jct Helsa-Ost - jct Hessisch Lichtenau-West | under construction (expected opening 2018) | 5.9 | 327 |
| jct Hessisch Lichtenau-West – jct Hessisch Lichtenau-Mitte | under construction (December 12, 2013) | 2.2 | 85 |
| jct Hessisch Lichtenau-Mitte – jct Hessisch Lichtenau-Ost | completed (opening on October 6, 2005) | 4.4 | 84 |
| jct Hessisch Lichtenau-Ost - Walburg–Hasselbach | under construction (November 1, 2014) | 4.3 | 83 |
| Walburg-Hasselbach – jct Waldkappel-Ost | under construction (expected opening 2016) | 6.1 | 56 |
| jct Waldkappel-Ost - Wehretal/Hoheneiche | planning permission hearings successful finished | 7.2 | 183 |
| Wehretal/Hoheneiche - jct Sontra-Nord | planning permission hearings successful finished | 5.4 | 159 |
| jct Sontra-Nord - jct Sontra-Ulfen | planning permission hearings successful finished | 11.0 | 240 |
| jct Sontra-Ulfen – interchange Wommen (A 4) | planning permission hearings successful finished | 5.8 | 75 |
Demolition of a section
The interchange Jackerath-interchange Holz section and the junction Otzenrath were permanently closed to traffic on October 14, 2005. The reason for the closure was the open mine at Garzweiler II. Before this section was closed, the Bundesautobahn 61 was widened from two to three lanes in each direction. For the closed junction the junction Moenchengladbach-Wanlo was constructed.
When the open cast mine is exhausted, expected in 2017, a new section of the A 44 will be built across the A 61. This new route will be to the south of the old route, and the new junction Jackerath will be south of the old one.
This section was taken out of the official network-register in November 2005 and is no longer officially a Bundesautobahn.
Exit list
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(1) | Border crossing Lichtenbusch |
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Services Lichtenbusch |
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(2) | Aachen-Lichtenbusch |
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(3) | Aachen-Brand |
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(4) | Aachen 4-way interchange    |
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(5a) | Broichweiden |
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() | Alsdorf-Begau (access in direction Aachen only) |
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(5b) | Alsdorf (Rheinland) |
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(6) | Aldenhoven |
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(7) | Jülich-West |
| Raststätte Ruraue | |
 | Rurbrücke | |
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(8) | Jülich-Ost |
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(9) | Titz |
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(10) | Jackerath 3-way interchange  |
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| interrupted (since October 2005). | ||
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Garweiler Mine (under construction) (new Exit)
wiederaufbau nicht vor 2017 |
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(12) | Holz 3-way interchange  |
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Jüchen-Hochneukirch (planned) | |
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(13) | Mönchengladbach-Odenkirchen |
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interrupted (not required) | ||
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(21) | Mönchengladbach-Ost |
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(22) | Neersen 4-way interchange  |
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(incl.) | Neersen (touches  ) |
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(23) | Münchheide |
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(24) | Krefeld-Forstwald |
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(25) | Krefeld-Fichtenhain |
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(26) | Osterath |
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(27) | Meerbusch 4-way interchange  |
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(28) | Lank-Latum |
 | Tunnel Strümp 640 m | |
| Tunnel Ilvericher Altrheinschlinge 870 m | |
| Flughafenbrücke 1.287 m | |
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(29) | Düsseldorf-Messe/Stadion |
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(30) | Düsseldorf-Stockum  |
| Tunnel Flughafentunnel 1070 m | |
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(31) | Düsseldorf-Flughafen |
| Bahnbrücke 60 m | |
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Kreuz Düsseldorf-Nord (planned) 
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(32) | Düsseldorf-Nord 4-way interchange |
| Tunnel Schwarzbach 154 m / 150 m | |
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(32) | Düsseldorf-Nord 4-way interchange |
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3-way interchange Rath (planned) | |
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Tunnel Reichswaldallee 695 m / 725 m (planned) | |
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(incl.) | Reichswaldallee |
| Tunnel Volkardey 695 m / 725 m | |
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(33) | Ratingen-Schwarzbach |
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(34) | Kreuz Ratingen-Ost 4-way interchange   |
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Talbrücke Kaltenbach 129 m |
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Talbrücke Homberger Bachtal 216 m |
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Angerbachbrücke 319 m |
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Heiligenhaus (under construction) |
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Talbrücke Laubecker Bachtal 206 m |
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Talbrücke Ganslandsiepen 194 m |
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(36) | Heiligenhaus-Hetterscheid |
| Tunnel Birth 807 m / 814 m | |
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(37) | Velbert-Nord  |
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(37a) | Velbert-Nord 3-way interchange  |
| Talbrücke Hespersbach | |
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(38) | Velbert-Langenberg |
| Asbachtalbrücke 323 m | |
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(39) | Essen-Kupferdreh |
| Hochstraßebrücke 540 m | |
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(40) | Essen-Überruhr |
 | Ruhr | |
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(41) | Essen-Heisingen |
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Essen-Bergerhausen (planned) | |
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Tunnel Ruhralleetunnel 2500 m (planned) | |
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Kreuz Essen-Bergerhausen (planned)
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(-) | Bochum-Nordhausen-Ring |
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(-) | Bochum-Markstraße |
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(-) | Bochum-Laer |
| Oelbachbrücke 100 m | |
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(42) | Bochum/Witten 4-way interchange  |
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(43) | Witten-Zentrum |
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(44) | Witten-Stockum |
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(45) | Witten-Annen |
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(46) | Dortmund/Witten 4-way interchange   |
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interrupted (further need) | ||
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| Tankstelle - | |
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(52) | Dortmund/Unna 4-way interchange    |
| Talbrücke Bornekamp | |
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(53) | Unna-Ost 4-way interchange  |
| Talbrücke Kessebürenbach | |
| Talbrücke Lüner Bach | |
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Services Am Haarstrang |
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(54) | Werl 4-way interchange  |
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(55) | Werl-Süd im Bau |
| Talbrücke Ostönner Bach | |
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(56) | Soest |
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Services Soester Börde |
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(57) | Soest-Ost |
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(58) | Erwitte/Anröchte |
| Talbrücke Pöppelsche | |
| Talbrücke Schledde | |
| Talbrücke Westerschledde | |
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(59) | Geseke |
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(60) | Büren |
| Almebrücke | |
| Talbrücke Friedenstal | |
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(61) | Wünnenberg-Haaren 4-way interchange  |
| Talbrücke Ottensgrund 500 m | |
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(62) | Marsberg-Meerhof |
| Talbrücke Langer Grund 200 m | |
| Talbrücke Apfelbaumgrund 350 m | |
| Talbrücke Krügersgrund 375 m | |
| Talbrücke Klingenbach 480 m | |
| Talbrücke Heubach 200 m | |
| Diemeltalbrücke 100 m | |
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Services Am Biggenkopf |
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(64) | Diemelstadt |
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(65) | Warburg |
| Twistetalbrücke 650 m | |
| Talbrücke Breuna 650 m | |
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(66) | Breuna |
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Services Bühleck |
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(67) | Zierenberg |
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(68) | Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe |
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(69) | Kreuz Kassel-West  |
| Fuldatalbrücke 700 m | |
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(70) | Dreieck Kassel-Süd   |
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Rest area Kassel (under construction) |
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3-way interchange Kassel-Mitte |
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Talbrücke Losse 200 m |
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3-way interchange Dreieck Kassel-Ost (planned) | |
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Kaufungen (planned) | |
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Helsa-West (planned) | |
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Helsa-Ost (planned) | |
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Tunnel Hirschhagen 4100 m (planned) | |
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Steinbachtalbrücke 134 m |
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Hessisch Lichtenau-West (under construction) |
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Tunnel Schulberg 700 m |
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(77) | Hessisch Lichtenau-Mitte |
| Tunnel Hopfenberg 650 m | |
| Hopfenbachtalbrücke 280 m | |
| Tunnel Walburgtunnel 273 m/284 m | |
| Wehretalbrücke 530 m | |
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(78) | Hessisch Lichtenau/Walburg |
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Tunnel Küchentunnel 1314 m |
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Beerbergbrücke 176 m |
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Rauschenbrücke 233 m |
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Waldkappel (under construction) |
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Tunnel TrimbergTunnel 597 m (planned) | |
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Eschwege (planned) | |
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Wehretalbrücke 695 m (planned) | |
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Tunnel Spitzenbergtunnel 626 m (planned) | |
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Netratalbrücke 264 m (planned) | |
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Sontra-Wichmannhausen (planned) | |
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Ulfetalbrücke 205 m (planned) | |
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Tunnel Boyneburgtunnel 1698 m (planned) | |
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Sontra-Nord (planned) | |
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Tunnel Holsteintunnel 1647 m (planned) | |
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Sontra-Ost (planned) | |
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WC (planned) | |
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Tunnel Bubenradtunnel 686 m (planned) | |
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Talbrücke Lindenau 550 m (planned) | |
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Talbrücke Rübenberg 100 m (planned) | |
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Talbrücke Kulmrich 100 m (planned) | |
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Tunnel Dachslochtunnel 300 m (planned) | |
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Talbrücke Riedmühle 300 m (planned) | |
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Talbrücke Blankenbach 200 m (planned) | |
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Sontra-Ulfen (planned) | |
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Tunnel Armsbergtunnel 290 m (planned) | |
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Talbrücke Breitzbach 172 m (planned) | |
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3-way interchange Wommener Dreieck (planned)
(planned / urgent need) | |
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bundesautobahn 44. |
Coordinates: 51°14′49″N 9°36′45″E / 51.24694°N 9.61250°E
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