Between 1972 and 1973, SR 3 was removed between US 224 in Markle and I-69 on the north side of Fort Wayne. The final route through the Fort Wayne metro area followed Indianapolis Road/Baer Road past the city's main airport (then known as Baer Field) to Lower Huntington Road in the Waynedale district of Fort Wayne. SR 3 there turned east onto that road for only a short distance, before turning north again onto Bluffton Road (SR 1). Bluffton Road hugs the bank of the St. Mary's River before curving east and crossing it. SR 1 and SR 3 then immediately turned south onto Broadway for two blocks before turning east onto Rudisill Boulevard. SR 1/SR 3 followed Rudisill Boulevard to Lafayette Street (US 27/US 33 northbound) and Clinton Street (US 27/US 33 southbound) at which points the state routes turned north to join the others heading to/from downtown Fort Wayne. In the heart of the city US 33 departed, then upon leaving downtown Lafayette Street becomes Spy Run Boulevard (still one way northbound) before joining Clinton Street on the north side of the city. Shortly thereafter, US 27/SR 1/SR 3 turned toward the northwest onto Northrop Street and Lima Road until they reached the I-69 interchange, where SR 3 continued north on Lima Road and US 27/SR 1 turned east onto northbound I–69. With SR 3 through traffic easily using the then-recently completed I-69 to bypass Fort Wayne, the route between US 224 and the junction with SR 1 on the southwest side was turned back over to local control and the SR 3 designation was removed along the portions shared with other routes within the city.