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WFP: Blue Line is Transit’s busiest route and packed with lessons for system expansion (Jan2'24)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jan '24

02 Jan '24

Despite initial bumps in the road, the express Blue Line is Transit’s busiest route and packed with lessons for system expansion The future is Blue https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/01/01/the-future-is-blue IT’S 7:31 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13 outside Balmoral Station when the metaphorical whistle blows — a text exchange between a bus rider and motorist ending with, “Race on.” The former is a reporter. The latter is a photographer, who is competing against Winnipeg Transit’s Blue Line in a marked Free Press vehicle during rush hour. The rules are straightforward: Start driving when the rapid transit bus leaves its first downtown stop of the route, follow the speed limit and stop the timer upon parking at the University of Manitoba. Just over 22 minutes later, the vehicle driver is first to arrive. An accordion bus pulls up to the Fort Garry campus’ main stretch at 8:11 a.m, capping off a public transit commute nearly twice the length of a drive. Winnipeg Transit’s Bjorn Radstrom would argue that an asterisk must be attached to the vehicle driver’s win, especially given both the skies and roads were clear. Radstrom said “rapid transit” is a misnomer because while he said speed is valued, the most important thing for the local Transit service, per rider feedback, is reliability. (Frequency is also high up on the service’s list of priorities, he said.) “If somebody is driving to the U of M or from the south end of the city to downtown and traffic is going really well, sure, odds are they’re going to be faster in their car than on a bus. But when things get really congested for cars, the bus should always take roughly the same amount of time,” said the manager of Transit service development at the City of Winnipeg. “You can rely on that and not be concerned your whole day is going to be messed up because of a snowstorm or bad traffic.” To his point, the city’s Navigo trip-planner estimated the morning Transit trip from downtown to Fort Garry would take 38 minutes via the express route, and it ended up taking just shy of 40 minutes. ••• The Blue Line spans 11.2 kilometres in length — much of it parallel to Pembina Highway, on a roadway that was built to keep buses separate from other traffic and allow them to travel at speeds up to 80 km/h. The $467-million project, also known as the Southwest Transitway, sought to divert traffic from a busy commuter corridor between downtown and the U of M. And it’s been successful in doing so. Despite initial bumps in the road, the express line is now the busiest in Winnipeg Transit’s network. The first phase of the transitway was unveiled in 2012. The completed project’s highly anticipated launch happened eight years later, during a historic low in public transit use and as city officials were pleading with residents to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. Daily boardings across the city have returned to 94 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. On the Blue Line, the number of weekday boardings is more than four times what it was shortly after its rollout in April 2020. On average, there were 3,906 daily user transactions on the Blue Line during the fall of the launch year. That figure climbed to 7,112 in 2021, 13,715 in 2022, and is currently sitting at 16,937. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a bus (en route home) that hasn’t been packed,” said Elise D’Aoust, a U of M student who takes the Blue Line to and from classes. D’Aoust, who lives in Charleswood, parks her car at Chancellor Station and rides the bus if she does not need her vehicle to get to work later in the day. She said she can typically count on the Transit ride taking fewer than 15 minutes in either direction. Costly parking and the U-Pass — a discounted bus pass that provides post-secondary students with unlimited rides during their studies, in exchange for the entire student body paying a mandatory fee — are both motivators to use a sustainable mode of transportation, D’Aoust said. Another bonus is she has free hands to scroll social media or read a textbook on the bus. “If I want to force myself to study, I’ll make sure that I bus,” she added. ••• Forty-one per cent of all students, staff and faculty members travel via public transit to U of M’s main campus, one of the most popular transit hubs in the city — second only to the downtown core. Driving alone is the second most popular mode of transportation, followed by carpooling, walking and biking — accounting for 25 per cent, 11 per cent, four per cent and one per cent of all commuters, respectively. Sixteen per cent of individuals work or study from home, and the remainder did not disclose their exact commute logistics in the university’s 2023 campus commute survey. Nearly 6,000 community members, representing a 15 per cent response rate, completed the online poll between Jan. 16-31, 2023. “There’ve been a few shifts — for staff, especially, in the 2023 survey because there has been a little more flexibility in terms of some work-from-home days so that has changed the commute lens a little bit,” said Jessie Klassen, U of M’s sustainability projects co-ordinator, during a recent episode of Not Necessarily the Automobile — a campus radio show that explores public and active transportation issues. Citing respondents’ frustrations about late buses, overcrowding and pass-bys due to full loads, a report on the latest commuter findings includes a call for administration to address service-level concerns with Winnipeg Transit. “Our students pay for a lot of Transit and get the absolute minimum,” one participant said in their 2023 submission. Another wrote they often cannot catch a transfer until five or six packed buses come and go during rush hour. Several community members indicated they purchased vehicles because of their poor service experiences. Transit service development boss Radstrom said he welcomes formal complaints — the more specific, the better — so that staffers know where the problems are and can work to fix them. “Ridership has really come back very strongly (post-pandemic) and if anything, it’s higher than we expected it to be, so what we’re struggling with now is really high passenger loads on the Blue Line,” he said. The aftermath of COVID-19’s system-wide halt, government funding approval delays and supply chain problems are currently causing Winnipeg Transit challenges, he said. Radstrom noted that Transit needs more of the articulated or “bendy buses,” each of which can fit about 50 more passengers than traditional 40-foot-long vehicles, because the existing fleet is aging. That aging, in turn, adds to service issues because there are not enough usable buses to meet ridership demands. ••• Blue Line buses are scheduled to make stops along the main line — which splits in two around Waverley Heights so drivers can service U of M and St. Norbert loops — every four to five minutes during weekday rush hours. Buses become more infrequent during quieter times, although passengers are never supposed to wait more than 35 minutes for a ride at a major stop, per Winnipeg Transit’s schedule. The successes of the transitway, including its spine and feeder model, are now informing plans to overhaul the city’s wider network. Radstrom said change is required to simplify and straighten out routes by minimizing left turns, among other updates that will speed up run times and increase the efficiency of the existing system, which he calls “convoluted.” The host of UMFM’s Not Necessarily the Automobile has no shortage of ideas on how to improve service and in turn reduce CO2 emissions in the city — more than half of which are currently linked to transportation. Adam Johnston said the city needs to implement universal low-cost fares, bolster advertising efforts to attract riders, and do a better job of linking bus routes to active transportation paths. “If Winnipeg wants to get to a million people, we can’t just keep expanding freeways like Kenaston and Chief Peguis,” Johnston said. “We have to have serious discussions about land use and getting out of the car and building sustainable communities, and that does include a more equitable Transit system here in the city.” maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Brandon Sun: Driver charged in Brandon crash that killed 15-year-old cyclist (Dec29'23)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Dec '23

29 Dec '23

Driver charged in Brandon crash that killed 15-year-old cyclist Car travelling twice speed limit: police https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/12/28/driver-charged-in… POLICE have charged a 24-year-old Brandon man in the death of a 15-year-old boy who was struck by a car while cycling in the northwest area of the western Manitoba city in early October. Police said at the time that authorities expected charges would be laid against the driver, who remained at the scene after the collision and waited for police and emergency responders. Antoine Sutherland, a Vincent Massey High School student, was killed in the collision. The driver, who was not hurt, is facing a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. Brandon Police Service public information officer Sgt. Kirby Sararas told the Brandon Sun that fatal collision investigations can be lengthy. Once completed, police consult with a Crown attorney who then must go before a review panel for charges to be determined. “It is a process, it does take time and then of course the investigation itself is very technical,” Sararas said. The investigation by the BPS traffic section, forensic identification unit and a collision analyst determined that the vehicle was travelling more than twice the speed limit when the cycling youth was hit just before 5 p.m. on Oct. 5. The boy was heading north on McDiarmid Drive when he was struck by the vehicle travelling westbound on Victoria Avenue, a main artery in Brandon. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Sararas said a collision analyst uses forensic mapping devices and computer software to investigate collisions, and data pulled from a black box or data recorder in the vehicle is used to obtain information including airbag activation, speed and brake application. “The investigation itself takes a bit of time to ensure that we’ve got all the right pieces in place before we send it to the Crown,” she said. A sacred fire and walk in memory of the teen, who was of Indigenous and Ethiopian descent, were held the weekend following his death. A pedestrian corridor was installed at the intersection in 2022. A safety review three years earlier found that daily traffic counts at the intersection saw approximately 18,000 vehicles and 780 pedestrians and recommended that a pedestrian corridor be installed at any intersection where traffic volume exceeds 9,000 vehicle movements. The driver was released after his arrest and is scheduled to appear in Brandon court on Feb. 26. — Brandon Sun

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WFP: Probe of bridge at The Forks on hold (Dec28'23)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Dec '23

28 Dec '23

Warm weather prevents engineers from assessing structural integrity Probe of bridge at The Forks on hold https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/12/27/warm-weather-keep… MILD weather has delayed efforts to assess the structural integrity of The Forks Historic Rail Bridge, which has remained closed for months with no reopening date in sight. The former railway structure, which allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Assiniboine River from South Point Park to The Forks, has been closed since an assessment in June revealed potential safety issues, The Forks North Portage chief executive officer Sara Stasiuk told the Free Press. “We are doing some pretty extensive investigations with engineers to find out what exactly is wrong with it,” Stasiuk said, speaking Dec. 22, after an unrelated announcement. “It is kind of deemed not safe at the moment and we need to look at the structural steel and concrete to see what exactly the issue is and what our solutions might be.” While the initial assessment is expected to be completed this winter, the work cannot begin until the river ice below freezes solid, allowing engineers and equipment to access the underside of the bridge. At this point, the extent of required maintenance is unknown, Stasiuk said. “There is the potential that it could be closed for a long time and that the work is very expensive and extensive.” The Forks first alerted the public to the Winnipeg bridge’s indefinite closure in social media posts June 5, but it has not released subsequent updates, frustrating some active transit proponents. “You’d think they would actually be more forthcoming and give at least some proper notice or knowledge to people about what is going on, letting people know where they are at with it and how long it’s going to take,” said Tim Woodcock, owner of Woodcock Cycle Works. “Even if they don’t have all that completely, just some communication would be helpful because it is a main artery for people commuting. Whether by walking or cycling, that’s a very popular route to get through to St. Boniface or vice versa.” The lack of information highlights a disparity between cyclists and motorists, Woodcock said, asserting the latter receives regular updates when traffic routes are disrupted. Cyclists and pedestrians who are familiar with the bridge have found alternative routes in the interim, but newcomers or visitors to the city might find themselves stranded — particularly if they rely on cycling maps provided by the City of Winnipeg, which still present the bridge as an active route, Woodcock said. “It’s pretty straightforward, things do wear out and (The Forks is) doing it for people’s safety, well, come out and say that,” he said. “You might wonder why people get upset about it… but when there is no information whatsoever, it opens it up to speculation and people look at it in more of a negative light than it needs to be.” Such speculation includes a belief among some in the cycling community the closure was possibly influenced by the May 31 collapse of an elevated walkway at Fort Gibraltar that sent 17 people to the hospital, Woodcock said. The Forks has repeatedly said the Historic Rail Bridge inspection was routine and unrelated to the incident at the nearby site. Stasiuk acknowledged the impact of the closure and offered assurances that further updates and information will be released to the public as they are available. “It’s a huge impact. It’s super frustrating and disappointing for active transportation,” she said. “We recognize that it’s a huge deal, but safety (comes) first.” Construction on The Forks Historic Rail Bridge began in 1913, placing it among a raft of aging local structures that continue to carry pedestrians and traffic despite being more than a century old. Others include the Redwood/ Harry Lazarenko Bridge (1907-08), Louise Bridge (refurbished for automobile traffic in 1910) and Elm Park Bridge (1912-13). The Arlington Bridge (1910-12) closed indefinitely Nov. 21, due to safety concerns relating to its structural integrity. That closure has been similarly disruptive for cyclists and pedestrians travelling in the northwest region of the city, Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe said. “The deciding factor for somebody who is considering cycling is not the best part of the ride, but the worst part,” Cohoe said. “The city is working to close those gaps… but as we close those gaps, it’s obviously critical that we don’t open new gaps — and these are both two new gaps.” Cohoe said if the rail bridge assessment identifies the need for extensive reconstruction, he would like to see the city pitch in to help The Forks cover the expense and ensure the active transit “thoroughfare” is not permanently closed. — with files from Jura McIlraith tyler.searle(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: City study of Osborne slip lane due in spring (Nov28'23)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Nov '23

28 Nov '23

City study of Osborne slip lane due in spring https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/11/27/city-study-of-osborne-sl… A municipal study on getting rid of an Osborne Village slip lane has yet to begin, but a local architect says making pedestrian-friendly changes is long overdue. Slip lanes, which allow drivers to make a right turn while bypassing an intersection, can speed up car commutes but slow down pedestrians and cyclists who must cross that uncontrolled lane of traffic. Architect Brent Bellamy, creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group, bikes daily through the slip lane at Academy Road and Stafford Street. He describes them as “highway infrastructure that have somehow crept into the design of residential streets,” and have no place in pedestrian-frequented areas. “Every single morning I think, this is what they’re going to write on my tombstone: ‘He died crossing the slip lane,’” Bellamy said with a laugh. “Because I’ve had so many close calls and they are just the bane of my existence.” A City of Winnipeg report on replacing the slip lane at Osborne Street and River Avenue with pedestrian sidewalks isn’t expected to be complete until the spring and submitted to the public works committee on May 7, a city spokesperson said. The city is considering whether to eliminate that slip lane as part of a traffic-calming proposal that also looks at closing Assiniboine Avenue to vehicles between Fort and Main streets. The idea to replace the Osborne Village slip lane with some kind of pedestrian scramble was proposed in the spring in a new blueprint for the neighbourhood by the Osborne Village Business Improvement Zone. The city’s public service has been tasked with studying the elimination of the slip lane and considering, instead, wider sidewalks, continuous sidewalks or a pedestrian scramble, according to an Oct. 10 directive from the standing policy committee on public works. “We should do everything we can to invite pedestrians to Osborne, not make them feel unsafe or uncomfortable for being there,” Bellamy said. Other cities, such as Montreal and Edmonton, have removed some slip lanes, sometimes placing planters there instead in a process that is neither lengthy nor too expensive, Bellamy noted.

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WFP: NEW BIKE REGISTRY ROLLING FORWARD (Nov1'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Nov '23

01 Nov '23

*NEW BIKE REGISTRY ROLLING FORWARD* A CALL to endorse a new bike registry for Winnipeggers is rolling forward. On Tuesday, council’s community services committee voted in favour of a call to end a city-run bike registry and instead urge citizens to register their bikes with 529 Garage, a free, cloud-based system. The city registry has a $7.35 registration fee. If council approves, the new registry would share data with hundreds of police agencies and Winnipeg civic officials in hopes of getting more stolen bikes returned to their owners. The proposal also includes about $50,000 in each of the next four years to implement a new registration and theft-prevention program. The city sought new bike registration options in June, noting up to 2,000 bicycles are reported stolen in Winnipeg each year; about 1,000 are recovered but less than 10 per cent are successfully returned to their owners.

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WFP: City boosts bike path plowing (Nov1'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Nov '23

01 Nov '23

Aim to clear snow on active routes quicker City boosts bike path plowing https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/11/01/city-boosts-bike-… SNOW is expected to be removed from most active transportation routes in less than two days this winter, as the city adds special plows to its snow-clearing arsenal. Avid cyclists hope more snow-free paths will mean fewer road rage incidents, as cyclists won’t be forced into the street. Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of streets maintenance, said snow days for active transportation paths will be shorter, now that the city has added 15 new bike path and sidewalk snow-clearing machines to its fleet of 31. Cantor said the extra machines, coupled with ones owned by private contractors, will allow the city to clear the sidewalks and paths along major streets and bus routes within 36 hours, if five centimetres of snow has fallen. Paths and sidewalks beside residential streets will be cleared in five days. “These machines are like a small truck plow that has a blade at the front or a snow blower and they are both on these new units,” he said. “They can also pull sand behind them. They look exactly like a snow blower you use at home only they are bigger, wider and stronger.” Cantor said the extra machines should allow the city to meet snow-clearance times mandated by council. St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard, who regularly cycles to city hall from his ward, said he’s pleased the city has more capacity to clear bike paths because it is safer for cyclists and reduces road rage incidents. But Allard said he has noticed a change in how cyclists are treated on the streets in recent years. “I think attitudes are changing. There’s an understanding now that there are many road users, not only motorists, but also cyclists and pedestrians,” he said. “Yes, there are still some moments where a motorist, when there is no active transportation route or it hasn’t been plowed, gets upset and they honk or they come close, but I think public opinion is moving to a much greater appreciation for those who use active transportation. “In general, we need to be kind to each other.” Bike Winnipeg’s Mark Cohoe said he has also noticed more positive change in peoples’ attitudes while cycling. He said it could be because there are more bike paths in the city — and more are on their way, including paths along River and Stradbrook avenues, as well as Goulet Street and University Crescent. But there are still major gaps, Cohoe said, including Regent and Nairn avenues, where there aren’t dedicated bike paths. Ian Walker, an elementary school teacher, said he was recently targeted in a road rage incident on Nairn. “The driver in a pickup truck didn’t like I was taking the lane and he came up behind me and then went around me horn blaring, scaring me,” Walker said. “I then felt a bunch of liquid on me and thought it was a snowball. It turned out it was coffee. I had to go to a meeting with principals covered with coffee. Walker said motorists have vented their rage at him in the past when he had to pedal on the street with no bike path, or when it was filled with snow. Despite the recent incident on Nairn, Walker said it is still better to ride a bike now than a few years ago. “I think it is getting better, honestly. I think people are more tolerant.” kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: City eyes imposing speed limits on active transportation paths (Oct28'23)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Oct '23

28 Oct '23

City eyes imposing speed limits on active transportation paths https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/10/27/city-eyes-active-transpo… THE City of Winnipeg will study the idea of imposing speed limits for electronic bikes and scooters. On Thursday evening, Winnipeg city council approved a call to have city staff study the potential new restriction, which could affect all motorized devices used on active transportation pathways. Traditional bicycles will be excluded. Coun. Janice Lukes said it’s great to see a hike in the number of people relying on active transportation. However, she said concerns about unsafe speeds of travel are triggering complaints and raising a need to consider new rules. “We’ve got people calling (about) getting hit (while) standing in the (path) and a dog’s leash got caught up in an e-bike… There are scenarios that are unfolding that are requiring us to look to see what other cities are doing that have addressed this issue,” the public works chairwoman said during the meeting. She noted Calgary has already imposed such a speed limit. The Alberta city requires all pathway users, including those riding manual bikes, to travel at or below posted speed limits. The maximum speed is typically set at 20 km/h, the City of Calgary’s website notes. The decision comes amid criticism an active transportation speed limit could prove difficult to enforce. Prior to ordering the report, the majority of Winnipeg council members opted to remove traditional bicycles from the potential speed limit. Coun. Matt Allard, who moved that amendment, told council members he feared including manual transportation could prove complicated. “I do believe that some of these (electronic) devices, particularly those that have been modified from the original manufacturer’s specifications, may achieve speeds that are significant. I would hope that we would not move in the direction of establishing maximum speeds for (traditional) bicycles because that would… likely mean installation of speedometers on bicycles and all sorts of issues with enforcement,” said Allard. Coun. Ross Eadie, who said he was once struck by a manual bicycle many years ago, voted against removing traditional bikes from the potential speed limit, suggesting all active transportation options should be limited to a maximum speed of 30 km/h. “If somebody gets hit by a bike moving really fast, believe me, it hurts… The older you get, the worse the injuries are,” said Eadie. Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act already sets a restriction of 32 km/h for “power-assisted” bicycles with motors of up to 500 watts. Coun. Shawn Dobson, who raised the speed limit motion, argues an even lower cap is needed. “Thirty-two (km/h) on an active transportation path is way too fast. Probably anywhere from 10 (km/h) to 20 (km/h) would be reasonable,” Dobson said in an interview Friday. Dobson said he supported the call to remove traditional bikes from the speed limit to avoid holding up the report, but believes the option could be revisited in the future. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City to consider new bike registry (Oct26'23)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '23

26 Oct '23

CITY TO CONSIDER NEW BIKE REGISTRY WINNIPEG could soon endorse a new bike registry in hopes of reuniting more stolen cycles with their owners. A new public service report calls for the city to urge citizens to register their bikes with 529 Garage, a free, cloud-based system that would replace an internal city-run bike registry that has a $7.35 registration fee. Council would also consider providing about $50,000 in each of the next four years to implement a new registration and theft-prevention program. The city sought new bike registration options in June, noting up to 2,000 bicycles are reported stolen in Winnipeg each year; about 1,000 are recovered but less than 10 per cent are successfully returned to their owners. If council approves, the new registry would share data with hundreds of police agencies and Winnipeg civic officials to help get more bikes returned.

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WFP: City seeks feedback on speed-limit reductions (Oct19'23)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Oct '23

19 Oct '23

(Adding to Dave Elmore's earlier message) *City seeks feedback on speed-limit reductions* THE City of Winnipeg is seeking feedback from residents in select neighbourhoods where speed limits have been reduced for several months. The city announced Wednesday it is entering the second phase of its reduced-speed neighbourhood pilot, in which speed limits in the Bourkevale and Tyndall Park neighbourhoods were reduced to 30 km/h, and limits in Worthington and Richmond West were reduced to 40 km/h per hour. “The pilot will tell us if changing the speed limit changes how fast vehicles actually travel, and if lowering the speed limit within a residential area affects neighbourhood livability,” the city said in a news release. The city has created separate surveys to assess the effectiveness of the program — one for residents living within the reduced speed limit areas, and another for the rest of Winnipeg residents. “Survey responses will help us understand both pilot area residents’ experience with the speed limit change and broader perspectives on speed limits in general,” the city said. In addition to the surveys, the city released the findings of a public engagement survey conducted in the program’s first phase before the limits were reduced. Sixty per cent of respondents felt residential speed limits should not be changed, while 40 per cent agreed with lowering them. The city is organizing a series of forums to be held early next year in which residents will be able to discuss the program. The first forum will take place at the Bourkevale Community Centre on Jan. 29 at 4:30 p.m. Further discussions will continue in each respective neighbourhood between Jan. 30 and Feb. 1. The survey is available online <https://www.winnipeg.ca/news/2023-10-18-winnipeggers-invited-talk-residenti…> on the City of Winnipeg website, along with a list of forum dates and locations.

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Thanks
by Dave Elmore 19 Oct '23

19 Oct '23

The City of Winnipeg put this survey about residential speed limits and the neighbourhood pilots. Please share widely! https://www.winnipeg.ca/news/2023-10-18-winnipeggers-invited-talk-residenti… Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X)

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