Impressive tunnel run in Imsweiler: 300 participants celebrate the construction event!

Impressive tunnel run in Imsweiler: 300 participants celebrate the construction event!

On Sunday, July 13, 2025, an exciting one took place in Imsweiler am Donnersberg Tunnel run instead of. The event attracted over 300 runners and numerous spectators who experienced the special event at the largest construction site in the West Palatinate. The run was co-organized by Richard Lutz, the former head of the Kaiserslautern State Office for Mobility.

The route that the participants had to overcome was demanding and included gradients and a new bridge with a length of around 220 meters. The tunnel that was initially started is the first road tunnel in the Donnersberg district and has a total length of around 400 meters. The Imsweiler bypass, to which the tunnel belongs, has a total length of around 1.8 kilometers and presented the runners with an exciting challenge.

Details about tunnel construction

Construction work on the bypass began in August 2017 and the costs amounted to around 66 million euros, which were borne by the federal government. Loud Weekly newspaper reporter The tunnel opening for the “Gabriele Tunnel” took place on May 22, 2022. The tunnel was broken through almost nine months later and the safety measures are expected to be completed by 2025, supported by the Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing.

The bypass begins north of Imsweiler, then turns south and crosses the Alsenztal and the DB line with a new valley bridge. The tunnel construction led through the Mühlberg and the bypass then runs south onto the existing B48 route. The construction challenges were particularly impressive, as massive rock masses had to be moved, which required the use of almost 24 tons of explosives - significantly more than the five tons originally planned.

A big day for Imsweiler

The local mayor of Imsweiler, Peter Ziepser, who was also able to take part in the tunnel run, was pleased with the great response and the well-organized event. He not only praised the organization, but also the opportunity to finally be able to see the tunnel up close after eight years of construction. Many of the participants were looking for a refreshing way to cool down after the demanding run.

The new infrastructure will make a decisive contribution to relieving traffic in Imsweiler in the future. It is expected that the B48 bypass will be opened to traffic in August 2025, which will certainly have a positive impact on the region.