Sobruzan Bridge



The Sobruzan Bridge (: Ponte Sobruzziano, Seratofian: Sobruzeskë Dhjórvé) is a connecting the island of Sobruza and the mainland of Borgosesia as part of the Borgosesian-Seratofian international link.

It was opened to traffic on the 8th of June 1956, and is still the longest bridge in both Borgosesia and Seratof at 20.6 km (12.8 mi) in total length. It supports and a walkway for pedestrians. Each end of the bridge has border checkpoints and stations that are integrated into the bridge system as a whole.

History
In the decades leading up to the construction of the bridge, there were numerous discussions and proposals for the creation of similar links between the two countries. Both Borgosesia and Seratof considered a bridge to be a positive boost for tourism, especially for the fledgeling island economy of Sobruza; the bridge would allow tourists from Borgosesia and mainland Artemia to visit the island more easily. Additionally, the bridge provided a cheaper alternative in supplying the island whereas before goods had to be shipped from Azxara, which can take up to three to four days.

After the socialist revolution in Seratof in 1949, the government of Seratof began planning the construction of a bridge with Borgosesia, at that point an effective organized as the Central Artemian People's State. Construction of the bridge lasted just seven years, and it started shortly after both parties had agreed on the terms of construction. Construction was due to start from both sides and to meet in the midpoint which served as the international maritime boundary between the two countries. Even though the socialist government in Seratof was deposed in 1953, the new government opted to continue its good relations with Borgosesian People's Republic, which formed in 1951, and continued to work on the bridge, finally being finished in 1956 after six years of construction.

After the rise of the Seratofian People's Party in Seratof, relations between the two nations quickly soured. The SPP mandated the closure of the bridge to everyone unless one had special permits. Occasionally, when relations improved, the bridge would be reopened to all travelers, though a shifting pattern between the opening and closing of the bridge was still maintained. The bridge was closed when the Islamic Republic of Seratof was declared in 1974, and reopened in 1976 after it was disestablished.

In the 1990s, relaxation of policies in both nations meant that the bridge would remain open to everyone, although with increased surveillance and guarding. It has become a well-known trope and secret that the amount of personnel present at the bridge indicated how good relations between the two nations are at that instant. As a result, the bridge has become a center icon in many subcultures and nostalgia when referring to Central Artemia in the latter half of the 20th century.