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Route 8 (Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
Route 8 is the portion of the multistate New England Route 8
within the state of Connecticut
. It is a 67.34 miles (108.4 km) state highway running north–south from Bridgeport
, through Waterbury
, all the way to the Massachusetts state line where it continues as Route 8. Most of the highway is a 4-lane freeway but the northernmost 8.8 miles (14.2 km) is a 2-lane surface road.
in Bridgeport. The first 3.75 miles (6 km) in Bridgeport is co-signed with the freeway portion of Route 25
. Approaching the split between Routes 8 and 25, the road expands to 6, 8, and even 10 lanes. Route 8 continues into Trumbull
where there is an interchange with the Merritt Parkway
.
From Trumbull, it passes through the towns/cities of Stratford and Shelton. It then crosses the Housatonic River
and continues through Derby, Ansonia, Seymour, Beacon Falls, Naugatuck, and Waterbury, following along the Naugatuck River
(a tributary of the Housatonic River). There is an interchange with Interstate 84
in Waterbury, known locally as the "Mixmaster". Route 8 then continues north through Watertown, Thomaston, Litchfield, Harwinton, Torrington, and Winchester. U.S. Route 6 runs briefly on Route 8 in Thomaston (0.99 miles).
The freeway portion of Route 8 ends at U.S. Route 44 in Winchester. After a short (0.33 mile) overlap with US 44, Route 8 splits off and continues as a surface road into the rest of Winchester town and the mainly rural town of Colebrook. Route 8 continues as a rural minor arterial road into Massachusetts.
Highway (designation continues on Route 25). The section from Shelton to Beacon Falls is known as the General Samuel Jaskilka
Highway. The section from Constitution Boulevard in Shelton to Route 334
at the Seymour/Ansonia town line is known as the Ansonia-Derby-Shelton Expressway. The section from Waterbury to the freeway end in Winchester is known as the James H. Darcey Memorial Highway.
, via Torrington
, Winchester Center and Colebrook Center, to the Massachusetts state line. The turnpike was chartered in 1801 and collected tolls until 1862. Two other sections of Route 8 were also old turnpikes: the portion north of Torrington was known as the Still River Turnpike chartered in 1815; the portion between Seymour and Naugatuck was known as the Humphreysville and Salem Turnpike chartered in 1825.
In 1922, the six New England
states began a region-wide highway numbering system. The trunk highway from Stratford through Waterbury to the Massachusetts state line became part of the multi-state New England Route 8. Route 8 remained unchanged in the 1932 state highway renumbering
. The main road connecting Bridgeport and Shelton (following Noble Avenue, Huntington Turnpike, Shelton Road, Bridgeport Avenue, and Center Street), which was designated as State Highway 316 in 1922, was renumbered as Route 65 in the 1932 renumbering.
In 1951, the Ansonia-Derby-Shelton Expressway portion between Constitution Boulevard in Shelton and Pershing Drive in Derby (including the Commodore Isaac Hull Memorial Bridge
) opened to traffic. As part of the freeway upgrading of Route 8, the southern terminus was shifted west from Stratford to Bridgeport, taking over old Route 65. The original southern end of Route 8 was assigned to an extended Route 110. By 1957, the entire length of the Ansonia-Derby-Shelton Expressway portion is open with the extension from Pershing Drive to Route 334 at the Ansonia/Seymour town line complete.
In the 1960s and 1970s additional sections of the Route 8 freeway opened in stages: in 1960, the segment from Route 63 to South Main Street in Waterbury opens; in 1962, the section from Route 334 to Route 67, including the elevated highway portion through central Seymour, opens; in 1966, the Mixmaster interchange with I-84
is completed and the freeway was also extended to Route 262
in Watertown. An additional section from Route 118
in Litchfield to Kennedy Road in Torrington also opens. By 1970, the portion from Route 262 in Watertown to Route 118 in Litchfield opened. By 1972, the segment from I-95
to Route 108
in Trumbull, including the overlap with Route 25, was completed. The freeway was also extended from Kennedy Road in Torrington to its present terminus at Route 44
in Winsted. By 1975, the freeway was completed between Huntington Turnpike at the Trumbull/Shelton town line to Constitution Boulevard in Shelton.
The early 1980s saw the completion of the Route 8 freeway with the 4-lane surface route from Route 67 in Seymour to Route 63 in Naugatuck (originally built in the 1940s) upgraded to a freeway, including the portion that bypasses Beacon Falls. The last segment of freeway between Route 108 in Trumbull and Huntington Turnpike, including a new interchange with the Merritt Parkway
was completed in 1982. The freeway from Bridgeport to Winchester is completed by this time, 35 years after construction began.
Route 8 (New England)
Route 8 is a multi-state north–south state highway in the New England region of the United States, running from Bridgeport, Connecticut, through Massachusetts to Searsburg, Vermont. Its number dates from 1922, when it was a New England Interstate Route, also known as the...
within the state of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It is a 67.34 miles (108.4 km) state highway running north–south from Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, through Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, all the way to the Massachusetts state line where it continues as Route 8. Most of the highway is a 4-lane freeway but the northernmost 8.8 miles (14.2 km) is a 2-lane surface road.
Route description
The southern terminus of Route 8 is at an interchange with Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
in Bridgeport. The first 3.75 miles (6 km) in Bridgeport is co-signed with the freeway portion of Route 25
Route 25 (Connecticut)
Route 25 is a , primary state highway connecting the city of Bridgeport and the town of Brookfield in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Route 25 is a six-lane freeway from Bridgeport to northern Trumbull and a two-lane surface road the rest of the way to Brookfield.Route 25 was...
. Approaching the split between Routes 8 and 25, the road expands to 6, 8, and even 10 lanes. Route 8 continues into Trumbull
Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, is bordered by the towns of Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton along Connecticut's Gold Coast. The population was 36,018 according to the 2010 census.Family Circle magazine...
where there is an interchange with the Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
.
From Trumbull, it passes through the towns/cities of Stratford and Shelton. It then crosses the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
and continues through Derby, Ansonia, Seymour, Beacon Falls, Naugatuck, and Waterbury, following along the Naugatuck River
Naugatuck River
The Naugatuck River is a river in the US state of Connecticut. It carves out the Naugatuck River Valley. The river flows from northwest Connecticut southward into the Housatonic River in Derby, Connecticut. One of the river's main uses is hydropower, which is used to power industrial plants...
(a tributary of the Housatonic River). There is an interchange with Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
in Waterbury, known locally as the "Mixmaster". Route 8 then continues north through Watertown, Thomaston, Litchfield, Harwinton, Torrington, and Winchester. U.S. Route 6 runs briefly on Route 8 in Thomaston (0.99 miles).
The freeway portion of Route 8 ends at U.S. Route 44 in Winchester. After a short (0.33 mile) overlap with US 44, Route 8 splits off and continues as a surface road into the rest of Winchester town and the mainly rural town of Colebrook. Route 8 continues as a rural minor arterial road into Massachusetts.
Special designations
The section from I-95 to the Route 25 split is also known as the Colonel Henry MucciHenry Mucci
Henry Andrew Mucci was a colonel in the United States Army Rangers. In January 1945, during World War II, he led a force of 128 Army Rangers on a mission which rescued 512 survivors of the Bataan Death March from Cabanatuan Prison Camp, despite being heavily outnumbered.- Youth :Mucci was born in...
Highway (designation continues on Route 25). The section from Shelton to Beacon Falls is known as the General Samuel Jaskilka
Samuel Jaskilka
Samuel Jaskilka is a retired four-star general whose last assignment was Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps . General Jaskilka is a highly decorated veteran of the Korean War, having led the landing at Inchon as a company commander with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines...
Highway. The section from Constitution Boulevard in Shelton to Route 334
Connecticut Route 334
Route 334 is a Connecticut state highway in the Naugatuck River valley, running from Seymour to Ansonia.-Route description:Route 334 begins at an intersection with Route 188 near the Seymour-Oxford town line and heads southeast...
at the Seymour/Ansonia town line is known as the Ansonia-Derby-Shelton Expressway. The section from Waterbury to the freeway end in Winchester is known as the James H. Darcey Memorial Highway.
History
Most of the alignment of Route 8 was part of an improved toll road known as the Waterbury River Turnpike, which ran from NaugatuckNaugatuck, Connecticut
Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, which has its own post office, Straitsville on the...
, via Torrington
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
, Winchester Center and Colebrook Center, to the Massachusetts state line. The turnpike was chartered in 1801 and collected tolls until 1862. Two other sections of Route 8 were also old turnpikes: the portion north of Torrington was known as the Still River Turnpike chartered in 1815; the portion between Seymour and Naugatuck was known as the Humphreysville and Salem Turnpike chartered in 1825.
In 1922, the six New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
states began a region-wide highway numbering system. The trunk highway from Stratford through Waterbury to the Massachusetts state line became part of the multi-state New England Route 8. Route 8 remained unchanged in the 1932 state highway renumbering
1932 state highway renumbering (Connecticut)
In 1932, the Highway Department of the U.S. state of Connecticut , decided to completely renumber all its state highways. The only exceptions were the U.S. Highways and some of the New England Interstate Routes. Between 1922 and 1932, Connecticut used a state highway numbering system shared with...
. The main road connecting Bridgeport and Shelton (following Noble Avenue, Huntington Turnpike, Shelton Road, Bridgeport Avenue, and Center Street), which was designated as State Highway 316 in 1922, was renumbered as Route 65 in the 1932 renumbering.
In 1951, the Ansonia-Derby-Shelton Expressway portion between Constitution Boulevard in Shelton and Pershing Drive in Derby (including the Commodore Isaac Hull Memorial Bridge
Commodore Isaac Hull Memorial Bridge
The Commodore Isaac Hull Bridge carries Connecticut Route 8 over the Housatonic River, between Shelton and Derby, in Connecticut.The bridge was constructed in 1951 for Route 8....
) opened to traffic. As part of the freeway upgrading of Route 8, the southern terminus was shifted west from Stratford to Bridgeport, taking over old Route 65. The original southern end of Route 8 was assigned to an extended Route 110. By 1957, the entire length of the Ansonia-Derby-Shelton Expressway portion is open with the extension from Pershing Drive to Route 334 at the Ansonia/Seymour town line complete.
In the 1960s and 1970s additional sections of the Route 8 freeway opened in stages: in 1960, the segment from Route 63 to South Main Street in Waterbury opens; in 1962, the section from Route 334 to Route 67, including the elevated highway portion through central Seymour, opens; in 1966, the Mixmaster interchange with I-84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
is completed and the freeway was also extended to Route 262
Connecticut Route 262
Route 262 is a state highway in west central Connecticut running in a "U" pattern from Watertown to Plymouth.-Route description:Route 262 begins at an intersection with US 6 in Watertown. It heads southeast and east to Route 8, turning north and intersecting Route 8 at two successive exits before...
in Watertown. An additional section from Route 118
Connecticut Route 118
Route 118 is a state highway in northwestern Connecticut, running from the borough of Litchfield via the village of East Litchfield to the town center of Harwinton.-Route description:...
in Litchfield to Kennedy Road in Torrington also opens. By 1970, the portion from Route 262 in Watertown to Route 118 in Litchfield opened. By 1972, the segment from I-95
Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
to Route 108
Connecticut Route 108
Route 108 in the U.S. state of Connecticut, also called Huntington Turnpike and Nichols Avenue, is a two-lane state highway that runs northerly from US 1, Boston Post Road in Stratford, through Trumbull, to Route 110 in downtown Shelton...
in Trumbull, including the overlap with Route 25, was completed. The freeway was also extended from Kennedy Road in Torrington to its present terminus at Route 44
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
in Winsted. By 1975, the freeway was completed between Huntington Turnpike at the Trumbull/Shelton town line to Constitution Boulevard in Shelton.
The early 1980s saw the completion of the Route 8 freeway with the 4-lane surface route from Route 67 in Seymour to Route 63 in Naugatuck (originally built in the 1940s) upgraded to a freeway, including the portion that bypasses Beacon Falls. The last segment of freeway between Route 108 in Trumbull and Huntington Turnpike, including a new interchange with the Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
was completed in 1982. The freeway from Bridgeport to Winchester is completed by this time, 35 years after construction began.
Exit list
| Town | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area... |
0.2 | |||
| 1 | 0.4 | Prospect Street – Downtown Bridgeport | Southbound exit, northbound entrance | |
| 2 | 0.8 | Fairfield Ave – Lafayette Square | SR 700 | |
| 3 | 1.4 | Main Street, Washington Avenue | Southbound exit, northbound entrance | |
| 4 | 2.1 | Lindley Street | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | |
| 5 | 2.8 | Via Chopsey Hill Road | ||
| (Split) | 3.8 | North end of Route 25 overlap. | ||
| Trumbull Trumbull, Connecticut Trumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, is bordered by the towns of Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton along Connecticut's Gold Coast. The population was 36,018 according to the 2010 census.Family Circle magazine... |
7 | 4.2 | Southbound exit, northbound entrance. | |
| 8 | 5.4 | |||
| 9 | 5.8 | Northbound junction only | ||
| 10 | Southbound junction only | |||
| Stratford Stratford, Connecticut Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639.... |
11 | 7.1 | Huntington Road / Bridgeport Avenue | SR 714 |
| Shelton Shelton, Connecticut Shelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639... |
12 | 9.2 | Old Stratford Road | |
| 13 | 11.4 | Constitution Boulevard, Bridgeport Avenue | SR 714 | |
| 14 | 12.3 | |||
| Commodore Hull Bridge (Housatonic River Housatonic River The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound... Crossing) |
||||
| Derby Derby, Connecticut Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:... |
||||
| 15 | 12.8 | The Derby-Shelton (Metro-North station) Derby-Shelton (Metro-North station) The Derby–Shelton Metro-North Railroad station serves residents of Derby and Shelton, Connecticut via the Waterbury Branch of the New Haven Line. Located in Derby, Derby-Shelton is the last regular stop on the Waterbury Branch before it joins the Northeast Corridor... can also be found at this interchange. |
||
| 16 | 13.4 | Pershing Drive – Ansonia Ansonia, Connecticut Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad... |
Northbound exit, southbound entrance SR 727 |
|
| 17 | 13.7 | Seymour Avenue | ||
| 18 | 14.3 | Division Street | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | |
| Ansonia Ansonia, Connecticut Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad... |
19 | 15.8 | Southbound signed TO Route 334 | |
| Seymour Seymour, Connecticut Seymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
20 | 16.6 | Lower Derby Road | Southbound exit, northbound entrance |
| 21 | 17.4 | Northbound exit, southbound entrance SR 728 |
||
| 22 | 18.5 | |||
| Beacon Falls Beacon Falls, Connecticut Beacon Falls is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,246 at the 2000 census. The population increased to 6,049 at the 2010 census. Beacon Falls is also home to the national-known Meteorologist Jim Cantore. Settlers from Derby, Connecticut settled Beacon... |
23 | 21.0 | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | |
| 24 | 22.1 | Southbound exit, northbound entrance SR 852 |
||
| Naugatuck Naugatuck, Connecticut Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, which has its own post office, Straitsville on the... |
25 | 24.1 | Cross Street | |
| 26 | 25.3 | |||
| 27 | 25.8 | North Main Street, Maple Street | SR 709 | |
| 28 | 26.5 | SR 710 | ||
| 29 | 27.3 | South Main Street, Platts Mill Road – Waterbury Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City... |
SR 847 | |
| Waterbury Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City... |
30 | 29.2/29.5 | South Leonard Street, Washington Avenue | |
| 31 | 30.2 | The Mixmaster | ||
| 32 | Riverside Street – Downtown Waterbury | |||
| 33 | ||||
| 34 | 30.6 | West Main St – Downtown Waterbury | Southbound exit, northbound entrance | |
| 35 | 31.2 | Norhtbound exit, southbound entrance | ||
| 36 | 32.6 | Huntingdon Avenue, Colonial Avenue | ||
| Watertown Watertown, Connecticut Watertown is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 21,661 at the 2000 census. The zip code for Watertown is 06795. It is a suburb of Waterbury. It borders the towns of Woodbury, Middlebury, Litchfield, Plymouth, Bethlehem, and Thomaston.-Founding History:More... |
37 | 34.3 | ||
| Thomaston Thomaston, Connecticut Thomaston is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,503 at the 2000 census.-History:The town, originally part of Plymouth, Connecticut, and referred to as 'Plymouth Hollow' was first settled in the early 18th century. The town is known for clock making, which... |
38 | 38.3 | US 6 joins northbound and leaves southbound | |
| 39 | 39.7 | US 6 leaves northbound and joins southbound | ||
| 40 | 40.3 | |||
| Litchfield Litchfield, Connecticut Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town... |
41 | 44.1 | Northfield, Campville | |
| Harwinton Harwinton, Connecticut Harwinton is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,283 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is a portmanteau of Hartford and Windsor, which is where its settlers came from.-Geography:... |
42 | 46.8 | ||
| Torrington Torrington, Connecticut Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census.... |
43 | 49.2 | Harwinton Ave | |
| 44 | 49.9/50.0 | |||
| 45 | 51.8 | Winsted Rd, Kennedy Dr | ||
| 46 | 55.5 | Pinewoods Rd – Burrville | ||
| Winchester Winchester, Connecticut Winchester is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,664 at the 2000 census. The Incorporated City of Winsted is located in Winchester.-Geography:... |
58.3 | Junction | End of freeway; Exit ramp as main line Route 8 joins US 44 northbound and leaves southbound |
|
| 58.8 | Route 8 leaves US 44 northbound and joins southbound Route 8 uses North Main St and Colebrook River Rd |
|||
| 60.7 | ||||
| Colebrook Colebrook, Connecticut Colebrook is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,471 at the 2000 census. Colebrook was named after Colebrooke, in the English county of Devon.-Geography:... |
67.3 | Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... state line |
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