Behind the wheel, made simple

New Driver Practice Routes

Twelve routes across five towns, each one starting and ending in a big, quiet parking lot. Pick a town, tap a route, and Google Maps takes it from there — on your phone or straight through the car.

Fort Wayne Columbia City Albion Huntington Warsaw

Each route begins in a large lot — a church, school, or park — so a new driver can warm up before pulling onto the road. "Quiet" routes stay on low-traffic residential or rural streets. "Open road" routes add a stretch of higher-speed driving, and "Advanced" routes are longer sessions that add real traffic, lights, and downtown or cross-town driving for students who are ready for it.

Fort Wayne

Two quiet starter loops on the outskirts, plus two longer routes into downtown and across the north side for students ready for more.

Route 1 · Smith Rd Loop

Quiet~2.5 miBeginner

Starts in the Southwest Assembly of God lot, empty most weekdays. Loops out along the Smith Rd/Ardmore Ave corridor — mostly straight residential and rural roads with a handful of turns.

Open Route

Route 2 · Hamilton Rd Loop

Quiet~5 miNext step

Starts at The Chapel's large lot on the far southwest side. A longer, more varied loop through the Aboite-area roads — good once Route 1 feels easy.

Open Route

Route 3 · Downtown Loop

Advanced~30–40 minCity driving

Starts at the Southwest Assembly of God lot and heads all the way into downtown to Headwaters Park before looping back. A big step up — traffic lights, one-way streets, and pedestrians. Best once a student is solid on the shorter loops.

Open Route

Route 4 · NW/NE Loop

Advanced~30–40 minCross-town

Starts on the northwest side at the church on Hillegas Rd, heads north to Dupont Rd on the far north side, then east and south down the Clinton St corridor before looping back. A longer session that covers several different road types and speeds.

Open Route

Columbia City

Two short loops that avoid IN-9, the main highway through town.

Route 1 · Forest Pkwy Loop

QuietShortBeginner

Starts at Columbia City United Methodist Church's lot in a quiet residential pocket, out to a frontage road, and back. A low-stress first session.

Open Route

Route 2 · South Side Loop

Quiet~3 mi one-way

Starts at Morsches Park's spacious lot, heads south past the high school and back — off the busier highway the whole way.

Open Route

Albion

One in-town loop, one that adds a stretch of open country road.

Route 1 · In-Town Loop

QuietShortBeginner

Starts at Central Noble Jr/Sr High School's lot, a short loop past Hidden Diamonds Park on quiet in-town streets. A great starter route.

Open Route

Route 2 · Rural Loop

Open RoadLonger

Starts at Albion Wesleyan Church, heads out onto US-33 for a stretch of open country road. Good for a student ready to try a higher speed limit.

Open Route

Huntington

Both loops stay in residential neighborhoods near the university.

Route 1 · College Ave Loop

Quiet~1.5 mi one-way

Starts at College Park Church near Huntington University, loops through quiet, tree-lined residential streets.

Open Route

Route 2 · State St Loop

Quiet~2 mi one-wayNext step

Starts at Life Church on the east side, a longer loop up toward College Ave with more turns and intersections to practice.

Open Route

Warsaw

One rural loop, one longer cross-town route with more intersections.

Route 1 · County Farm Rd Loop

Open RoadRural

Starts at Warsaw Community Church on the south side, loops out to the rural east side on open country roads.

Open Route

Route 2 · Cross-Town Loop

LongerMore turns

Starts at Warsaw Missionary Church on the northeast side, crosses town to the west side and back — more stop signs and turns to practice.

Open Route
Before you go: These routes are built around large, generally quiet lots — but lot access and road conditions can change, so it's worth a quick call ahead and one test drive yourself before sending parents out on a route for the first time.