FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation has been granted approval from the Department of Natural Resources to place Idle Speed buoys in a newly designated Idle Speed Zone of the St. Marys and St. Joseph Rivers to the confluence of the Maumee River.

The Idle Speed Zone law goes into effect on Thursday, June 8. The zone begins at the Main Street bridge over the St. Marys River and continues to the Columbia Avenue bridge on the Maumee River and the Tennessee Avenue bridge on the St. Joseph River.

The changes follow a proposal that was submitted by the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department to the Natural Resources Commission in the fall of 2020. Deputy Directory of Recreation, Chuck Reddinger, stated that the main reason why they proposed a reduced speed zone is for the safety of everyone who uses the rivers.

Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation along with other City Departments will continue to educate boat operators about the new idle speed zone.