Swing bridge

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Swing bridge
MovableBridge swing.gif
AncestorTruss bridge, cantilever bridge
RelatedOther moving types: Bascule bridge, drawbridge, jetway, vertical-lift bridge, tilt bridge
DescendantGate-swing bridge – see Puente de la Mujer
CarriesAutomobile, truck, light rail, heavy rail
Span rangeShort
MaterialSteel
MovableYes
Design effortMedium
Falsework requiredNo

A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its center of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right. Small swing bridges as found over canals may be pivoted only at one end, opening as would a gate, but require substantial underground structure to support the pivot.

In its closed position, a swing bridge carrying a road or railway over a river or canal, for example, allows traffic to cross. When a water vessel needs to pass the bridge, road traffic is stopped (usually by traffic signals and barriers), and then motors rotate the bridge horizontally about its pivot point. The typical swing bridge will rotate approximately 90 degrees, or one-quarter turn; however, a bridge which intersects the navigation channel at an oblique angle may be built to rotate only 45 degrees, or one-eighth turn, in order to clear the channel.

Advantages[]

The swing span turned to allow a boat to pass
I Street swing Bridge span turned to allow a boat to pass Sacramento California
BNSF Railway bridge across the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon, showing the swing-span section turning.
  • As this type requires no counterweights, the complete weight is significantly reduced as compared to other moveable bridges.
  • Where the channel is wide enough for separate traffic directions on each side, the likelihood of vessel-to-vessel collisions is reduced.
  • The central support is often mounted upon a berm along the axis of the watercourse, intended to protect the bridge from watercraft collisions when it is opened. This artificial island forms an excellent construction area for building the moveable span, as the construction will not impede traffic.

Disadvantages[]

An example of how small swing bridges like this one may be pivoted only at one end, but that does require substantial underground structure to support the pivot. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town.
  • In a symmetrical bridge, the central pier forms a hazard to navigation. Asymmetrical bridges may place the pivot near one side of the channel.
  • Where a wide channel is not available, a large portion of the bridge may be over an area that would be easily spanned by other means.
  • A wide channel will be reduced by the center pivot and foundation.
  • When open, the bridge will have to maintain its own weight as a balanced double cantilever, while when closed and in use for traffic, the live loads will be distributed as in a pair of conventional truss bridges, which may require additional stiffness in some members whose loading will be alternately in compression and tension.
  • If struck from the water near the edge of the span, it may rotate enough to cause safety problems (see Big Bayou Canot rail accident).

Examples[]

Government Bridge across the Mississippi has a swing section for river traffic traversing Lock and Dam 15

Albania[]

  • Buna River Bridge, in Shkodra, Albania.

Argentina[]

Australia[]

  • Gladesville Bridge, Sydney. Opened 1881, closed 1964 and demolished; had a small swing span on the southern end.
  • Pyrmont Bridge, Sydney. Opened 1902. Closed to traffic 1988. Still in use as a pedestrian bridge.
  • Glebe Island Bridge, Sydney. Opened 1903. Tramway defunct. Closed to traffic, 1995; supplanted by Anzac Bridge. Still in existence.
  • Hay Bridge, Hay, New South Wales. Opened 1873, demolished 1973. Replaced by a fixed concrete bridge.
  • Victoria Bridge, Townsville, Queensland. Opened 1889, closed to traffic 1975. Still in use as a foot bridge.
  • Sale Swing Bridge, Sale, Victoria. Opened 1883. Closed to traffic in 2002. Restored to full working order in 2006.
  • Dunalley Bridge, Dunalley, Tasmania. Still in use.

Belize[]

  • Belize City Swing Bridge, Belize City, Belize. Oldest such bridge in Central America and one of the few manually operated swing bridge in world still in operation. (Restored in the 2000s)

Canada[]

Bridge Name Waterway Co-ordinates Status Comments
Cambie Street Bridge Connaught Bridge False Creek, Vancouver, British Columbia 49°16′19″N 123°6′54″W / 49.27194°N 123.11500°W / 49.27194; -123.11500 (Cambie Street Bridge) Demolished/replaced (1985), formerly vehicle, pedestrian & streetcar traffic Short documentary "Swingspan" tells the history of the bridge and its demolition.
Canso Canal Bridge Canso Canal, Nova Scotia 45°38′50″N 61°24′45″W / 45.64722°N 61.41250°W / 45.64722; -61.41250 (Canso Swing Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle/Rail Traffic Links Nova Scotia mainland with Cape Breton Island with 2 traffic lanes of Highway 104 (the Trans-Canada Highway) as well as a single track railway line operated by the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway (CBNS).
CNR Bridge Fraser River, British Columbia 49°11′50″N 122°55′24″W / 49.19722°N 122.92333°W / 49.19722; -122.92333 (CNR Bridge) Still swings, Rail Traffic Between Queensborough in New Westminster, British Columbia and the mainland
Derwent Way Bridge Fraser River, British Columbia 49°11′09″N 122°55′55″W / 49.18583°N 122.93194°W / 49.18583; -122.93194 (Derwent Way Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle/Rail Traffic Between Queensborough in New Westminster, British Columbia and Annacis Island in Delta, British Columbia
Fredericton Railway Bridge Fredericton, New Brunswick 45°57′25″N 66°37′43″W / 45.95694°N 66.62861°W / 45.95694; -66.62861 (Fredericton Train Bridge) No longer swings, pedestrian traffic. Constructed in 1887 and opened 1889. Last train on the bridge was in 1996.
Grand Narrows Bridge Barra Strait, Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia 45°57′35.75″N 60°48′1.03″W / 45.9599306°N 60.8002861°W / 45.9599306; -60.8002861 (Grand Narrows Bridge) Was last opened for marine traffic on December 30, 2014 remaining open for marine traffic since that date, no longer swings, Rail Traffic cannot cross. Carrying the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway (CBNS).
Hog's Back Bridge Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Ontario 45°22′11″N 75°41′54″W / 45.36972°N 75.69833°W / 45.36972; -75.69833 (Hog's Back Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle Traffic This bridge swings from one end. There is an adjacent fixed bridge over Hog's Back Falls
Third Welland Canal, Thorold, Ontario 43°08′15″N 79°10′38″W / 43.13750°N 79.17722°W / 43.13750; -79.17722 (Iron Bridge) No longer swings, Rail Traffic Carrying the CNR Grimsby Subdivision over the third Welland Canal.
Kaministiquia River, Thunder Bay, Ontario 48°21′31″N 89°17′15″W / 48.35861°N 89.28750°W / 48.35861; -89.28750 (Kaministiquia River Swing Bridge) No longer swings. Road and rail traffic only. Currently closed due to 29 October 2013 fire[1] Built in 1908 by Grand Trunk Railway; currently owned by the CNR
Little Current Swing Bridge North Channel, Little Current, Ontario 45°58′48″N 81°54′50″W / 45.98000°N 81.91389°W / 45.98000; -81.91389 (Little Current Swing Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle Traffic (formerly rail) Built by Algoma Eastern Railway, 1913
Montrose Swing Bridge Welland River, Niagara Falls, Ontario 43°02′45″N 79°07′11″W / 43.04583°N 79.11972°W / 43.04583; -79.11972 (Montrose Swing Bridge) No longer swings, Rail Traffic Formerly Canada Southern Railway, now CPR
Moray Bridge Middle Arm of the Fraser River, Richmond, British Columbia 49°11′30″N 123°08′13″W / 49.19167°N 123.13694°W / 49.19167; -123.13694 (Moray Bridge) Still swings; Eastbound Vehicle Traffic Connects Sea Island, Richmond, BC (location of Vancouver International Airport) to Lulu Island, Richmond, BC
New Westminster Bridge Fraser River, British Columbia 49°12′29″N 122°53′38″W / 49.20806°N 122.89389°W / 49.20806; -122.89389 (New Westminster Bridge) Still swings, Rail Traffic, formerly had 2nd deck for vehicles Between New Westminster and Surrey.
Pitt River Bridge Pitt River, British Columbia 49°14′52″N 122°43′44″W / 49.24778°N 122.72889°W / 49.24778; -122.72889 (Pitt River Bridge) No longer swings, Vehicle Traffic Twin side-by-side bridges connecting Port Coquitlam, British Columbia to Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
Pitt River Railway Bridge Pitt River, British Columbia 49°14′42″N 122°44′01″W / 49.24500°N 122.73361°W / 49.24500; -122.73361 (Pitt River Bridge) Still swings – Rail Traffic (Please Contribute)
Wasauksing (Rose Point) Swing Bridge South Channel, Georgian Bay, near Parry Sound, Ontario 45°18′54″N 80°2′40″W / 45.31500°N 80.04444°W / 45.31500; -80.04444 (Wasauksing Swing Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle Traffic (formerly rail) Links Wasauksing First Nation (Parry Island) to the mainland at Rose Point
Welland Canal, Bridge 15 Welland Recreational Waterway, Welland, Ontario 42°58′37″N 79°15′21″W / 42.97694°N 79.25583°W / 42.97694; -79.25583 (Welland Canal, Bridge 15) No longer swings, Rail Traffic Built by Canada Southern Railway, ca. 1910. Now operated by Trillium Railway
Approach Span 2nd and 3rd Welland Canal, Port Colborne, Ontario 42°53′14″N 79°14′58″W / 42.88722°N 79.24944°W / 42.88722; -79.24944 (Welland Canal, Bridge 20 approach) No longer swings, Abandoned (formerly rail) Abandoned 1998 when adjacent Vertical lift bridge was dismantled.
Bergen Cut-off Bridge Red River, Winnipeg, Manitoba 49°56′49″N 97°5′53″W / 49.94694°N 97.09806°W / 49.94694; -97.09806 (Bergen Cut-off Railway Bridge) Centre span permanently in open position, allowing unrestricted river traffic Decommissioned CPR railway bridge (last used in 1946)
Superstructure built by Dominion Bridge Co. 1913–1914
Pont CN-Du port Lachine Canal, Montreal, Quebec 45°29′24.9″N 73°33′26.1″W / 45.490250°N 73.557250°W / 45.490250; -73.557250 (Canal Lachine Bridge) No longer swings. Abandoned CN railway swing bridge in the middle of Lachine Canal. Constructed in 1912 by the Dominion Bridge Company for the Grand Trunk Railway company.[2] The pivot system and the cockpit are still in place, but the bridge has not been operational since the late 1960s.[3]

China[]

  •  [zh], across Hai River in Tianjin

Egypt[]

El Ferdan Railway Bridge in Egypt; the longest swing bridge in the world, runs from the east of the Suez canal to the west into Sinai. It is left open most of the time to allow sailing ships to pass in the canal, only closing during the passage of trains.

France[]

  • Le pont tournant rue Dieu, across the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, is a distinctive location in the 1938 film Hôtel du Nord, and is featured in the opening shot of the film.

Germany[]

  • Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke in Wilhelmshaven, built in 1907, with a length of 159m, it was once Europe's biggest swing bridge.

India[]

Poira-Corjuem Bridge, Goa
  • , for Calcutta Port, Kidderpore, Kolkata[citation needed]
  • Poira-Corjuem Bridge, for GSIDC, Corjuem, Goa by Rajdeep Buildcon Pvt. Ltd.[citation needed]

Ireland[]

Italy[]

The Ponte Girevole San Francesco di Paola in Taranto
  • Ponte Girevole, Taranto (built in 1958, after an 1887 one of similar design but using different materials) – a very unusual type, with two spans that separate at the bridge's center and pivot sideways from the bridge's outer ends.[4][5]

Latvia[]

  • , Liepāja, connecting the city with the former Russian/Soviet port Karosta.

Lithuania[]

, Klaipeda
  • , Klaipeda. Built in 1855 and still working today, this is the only swing bridge in Lithuania. When the bridge is turned, boats and yachts can enter the Castle port. Rotation of the bridge is manual; two people can rotate the bridge.

The Netherlands[]

The "Abtswoudsebrug", a swing bridge for bikers and pedestrians built in 1979

Many inner cities have swing bridges, since these require less street space than other types of bridges.

New Zealand[]

(A "swing bridge" in New Zealand refers to a flexible walking track bridge which "swings" as you walk across.)[8]

Panama[]

  • A swing bridge at the Gatun Locks provides the only road passage over the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. This is a small bridge that swings out from each side. Another larger swing bridge at the Miraflores Locks is on the Pacific side but is rarely used, having been supplanted by the Bridge of the Americas and the Centennial Bridge.

Poland[]

  • A swing bridge at the Giżycko is one of four bridges that cross over the Luczanski Channel. It is one of ten (four still in operation) swing bridges in Poland.

Ukraine[]

  • over the Southern Bug in Mykolaiv, with Europe's longest span (134 m)[9]

United Kingdom[]

Traffic crossing the Northwich Road swing bridge on the Manchester Ship Canal at Stockton Heath, Warrington
Hull Docks branch bridge

In the UK, there is a legal definition in current statute as to what is, or is not a 'swing bridge'[10]

Crosskeys Bridge in Sutton Bridge which carries the A17 over the River Nene in Lincolnshire close to the border with Norfolk.

United States[]

The former Chincoteague Channel Swing Bridge in Chincoteague, Virginia, now demolished.

The largest double swing-span bridge in the United States is the 3,250 feet (990 m) long, 450 feet (140 m) navigable span, 60 feet (18 m) clearance George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge.[13]

A swing bridge near Belle Glade, Florida
The swing span of the double-deck I Street Bridge, in Sacramento, open for a ship.
  • I Street Bridge, Sacramento, California
  • India Point Railroad Bridge, Providence, Rhode Island crossing the Seekonk River
  • International Railway Bridge connecting Buffalo, New York and Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada[22]
  • La Crosse Rail Bridge, crossing the Mississippi River between La Crescent, Minnesota, and La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • Livingston Avenue Bridge, Albany, New York
  • Mathers Bridge, connecting Merritt Island to Indian Harbour Beach, Florida across the Banana River
  • Middle Branch of Patapsco River Rail Bridge, near Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland[23]
  • Mystic River Railroad Bridge, Mystic, Connecticut, carries Amtrak's Northeast Corridor tracks over the Mystic River.[24]
  • New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge, connecting New Bedford and Fairhaven, Massachusetts
  • New Richmond Swing Bridge, near Fennville, Michigan
  • Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge crossing the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio[25][26]
  • Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge crossing the Ocmulgee River in Lumber City, Georgia (2,800 feet (850 m) long; built 1916) (electrical swing components removed)[27]
  • Northern Avenue Bridge over Fort Point Channel in Boston, Massachusetts (1908 steel truss)
  • North Landing Bridge, built in the 1950s, on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway where it forms part of the border between Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, Virginia,[28]
  • Omaha Road Bridge Number 15, an asymmetrical single-track railroad bridge over the Mississippi River between Saint Paul and Lilydale, Minnesota (1916)
  • Oregon Slough Railroad Bridge (1908), Portland, Oregon
  • on the causeway protecting Apponagansett Bay in Dartmouth, Massachusetts[29]
  • Passaic River in Newark, New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania Railroad's Shellpot Branch over the Christina River in Wilmington, Delaware (original two-track bridge replaced with a single-track bridge in 2003)
  • Pennsylvania Railroad's South Philadelphia Branch Bridge over the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Point Street Bridge, Providence, Rhode Island crossing the Providence River
  • Portal Bridge, carrying the Northeast Corridor over the Hackensack River between Kearny and Secaucus, New Jersey
  • Providence & Worcester railroad bridge, Middletown, Connecticut
  • Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge over the Beaufort River/Intracoastal Waterway in Beaufort, South Carolina
    Navigation Locks Bridge, Bonneville Dam
  • Riverside-Delanco Bridge over Rancocas Creek in New Jersey
  • Rock Island Swing Bridge over the Mississippi River between Inver Grove Heights and St. Paul Park, Minnesota
  • "S" Swing Bridge over the Perquimans River, Hertford, North Carolina.[30]
  • Sakonnet River rail bridge, crossing the Sakonnet River between Tiverton and Portsmouth, Rhode Island
  • Saugatuck River Bridge (Bridge No. 1349), Route 136 over the Saugatuck River, Westport, Connecticut (1884 iron-truss swing bridge)
  • Shaw Cove Railroad Bridge, New London, Connecticut, carrying Amtrak's Northeast Corridor tracks over the entrance to Shaw Cove in New London[24]
  • Snow-Reed Swing Bridge, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, crossing the New River and connecting the Sailboat Bend neighborhood with the Riverside Park neighborhood
  • Songo Lock Bridge, Naples, Maine; carries Songo Lock Road over the Songo River just upstream of the lock. Powered by human operator turning gears using a removable crank. Not to be confused with a former swing bridge about two miles upstream which carried US 302 until replaced with a fixed span in May 2012.
  • South Bristol, Maine Asymmetric swing bridge connecting Rutherford Island to the mainland.
  • Southport, ME connects Southport Island to Boothbay Harbor on Route 27.
  • Spokane Street Bridge over the Duwamish Waterway in Seattle, Washington, built 1991. Features two reinforced concrete, serial swing spans, each rotating 45 degrees[31]
  • St. Joseph Swing Bridge over the Missouri River, St. Joseph, Missouri (1904)[32]
  • Topsail Island Swing Bridge, Surf City, North Carolina (Constructed in the 1950s, the swing bridge was demolished after being replaced by a fixed-span high rise bridge in 2018).
  • Trail Creek Swing Bridge in Michigan City, Indiana, carrying the Michigan Central Railroad (now operated by Amtrak)
  • , Torry Island, Florida
  • Umpqua River Bridge near Reedsport, Oregon on US-101
  • Victory Bridge, crossing the Raritan River in Perth Amboy, New Jersey (taken down in 2003)
  • Walt Disney World Railroad (former Florida East Coast Railway) swing bridge, Bay Lake, Florida[33]
  • Woods Memorial Bridge over the Beaufort River in Beaufort, South Carolina[34]
  • Yancopin Bridge, Arkansas River, southeastern Arkansas. Former Missouri Pacific railroad bridge with separate vertical-lift and swing trusses now part of rail-trail; swing span now manually operated
  • the eastern boundary of Bridge City, Texas

Omaha NE Turn Style Bridge is now a historical landmark. Located 86H674H5+98 Used for rail transport. Connecting Council Bluffs, Iowa to downtown Omaha, Nebraska

Uruguay[]

Carmelo Bridge, Uruguay, during its inauguration in 1912.
  • Carmelo Bridge. Built in 1912 is the oldest swing bridge in all of Latin America.
  • . Built in 1925 as a railway bridge, today is used only by pedestrians.

Vietnam[]

  • Han River Bridge in Da Nang

See also[]

  • Movable bridges for a list of other movable bridge types

References[]

  1. ^ "Burned bridge fate in CN's hands, officials say". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  2. ^ http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PATRIMOINE_URBAIN_FR/MEDIA/DOCUMENTS/TOUR%20WELLINGTON.PDF
  3. ^ https://ocpm.qc.ca/sites/ocpm.qc.ca/files/pdf/P103/8-79_parcs_canada.pdf
  4. ^ "Photograph of the Ponte Girevole (Taranto, Italy) while fully open" (JPG). Cityofart.net. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  5. ^ "Apertura Ponte Girevole Taranto". 16 April 2008. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "A7 Afsluitdijk Kornwerderzand: werkzaamheden Lorentzsluizencomplex 9-26 april 2018". 3 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Draaibrug over het kanaal Gent-Terneuzen bij Sas van Gent". Beeldbank Zeeland Seaports. 1 August 1977. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  8. ^ Walkway swingbridge manual / prepared and finalised by S. Chiet ... [et al.] Published by : New Zealand Forest Service, Wellington [N.Z.] : 1986.
  9. ^ "History". Kyivdiprotrans Institute. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  10. ^ Highways Act 1980. London: HMSO. 1980.
  11. ^ "Shotton Steelworks – general scenes". Archived from the original on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
  12. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1343735)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  13. ^ "BUILDING BIG: Databank: George P. Coleman Bridge". Pbs.org. 13 May 1995. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  14. ^ Wood Wortman, Sharon; Wortman, Ed (2006). The Portland Bridge Book (3rd ed.). Urban Adventure Press. pp. 119–120. ISBN 0-9787365-1-6.
  15. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Photo: UP 8007 Union Pacific EMD SD9043MAC at Clinton, Iowa by Eric Salter". Railpictures.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Photo: UP 3806 Union Pacific EMD SD70M at Clinton, Iowa by Eric Salter". Railpictures.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  19. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  20. ^ "Historic Fort Denaud Swing Span Bridge, History of the Fort Denaud Bridge The Fort Denaud Bride is a vital link between residents and agricultural operations on both sides of the Caloosahatchee River". hendryfla.net. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  21. ^ "Bridge: GTW Grand Haven Swing Bridge". Michiganrailroads.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  22. ^ "International Railroad Bridge". Buffaloah.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  23. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b Amtrak Moveable Bridge Smart Card
  25. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  26. ^ "Photo: NS 9869 Norfolk Southern GE C40-9W (Dash 9-40CW) at Toledo, Ohio by Matt Smith". Railpictures.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  27. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  28. ^ "North Landing Bridge (Mt. Pleasant Rd)". Archived from the original on 16 August 2016.
  29. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  30. ^ "Historic "S" Swing Bridge". visitnc.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  31. ^ "West Seattle Connection: World's Only Hydraulically Operated Double-Leaf Concrete Swing Bridge" (PDF). City of Seattle Engineering Department. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  32. ^ "Freight – Q324 Crosses the St. Joseph River on a wonderful may evening – Railroadfan.com Photo Gallery". Railroadfan.com. 9 June 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  33. ^ Leaphart, David (2016). Walt Disney World Railroads Part 3: Yucatan Jewels (1st ed.). Steel Wheel on Steel Rail Studio. pp. 148–149. ISBN 978-1-533-03707-7.
  34. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 February 2016.

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