<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4WqTQL_1Cdll9jn00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4WqTQL_1Cdll9jn00" width="1920" height="1080" ><figcaption>Credit: Marsha A Reardon Galyon</figcaption></figure>COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — The Newport Rescue Squad is urging drivers to respect traffic restrictions on certain roads <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/hamblen-jefferson-cocke-greene/newport-rescue-squad-warns-drivers-using-local-bypass-routes-danger-delay-emergency-response/51-037d6b9f-11e8-45c3-9e56-18b590d42476">after a rescue was complicated by other vehicles.</a>Newport Rescue Squad, Del Rio Fire, Cocke County Fire and Priority Ambulance rescued a person from a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Highway 25/70 East and Fugate Road in Cocke County on Friday after a "lengthy extrication that extended into the evening," according to NRS. The rescue squad shared those concerns online, saying crews "routinely" encountered drivers on Fugate despite it being "barely wide enough for one passenger vehicle, much less fire/rescue apparatus," in some places, and posted for local traffic only. Cocke County Sheriff CJ Ball said those issues are becoming more common as drivers get restless waiting for lengthy traffic signal changes. "Especially on the weekends, they're getting really backed up on 25/70, which is causing a lot of overflow of vehicles coming off a state highway onto a county roadway, which is called Fugate Road," he said. "We're having accidents. We're getting complaints of people getting out of their vehicles, urinating in their yards, and everything because they're having to sit in line so long."He said he's heard concerns from people who say the road is for local traffic only. Ball said that it's difficult for his office to enforce without a law or code in place. "We can't enforce something that's not written," Ball said. "It's just not feasible for us to actually sit there and say, 'What are you doing here? What's going on on this road?' So there are a lot of factors that play into this, and it all comes back to Hurricane Helene shutting the interstate down."People who travel on the road regularly said there's been a big difference in the number of drivers. James Sutton is the pastor at Fugate Baptist Church. He said he's there all day on Sundays and sees constant traffic. "It's a disaster because Fugate Road is very narrow in a lot of places. One car is all it's going to get through, and there are rocks from the railroad tracks all over the road now because people are having to climb up on the railroad tracks to get out of the way. I've actually been concerned about it, even having church in the afternoon, because a lot of the folks coming are elderly, and then you have people blowing the horns and trying to run them off the road," Sutton said. He said it's gotten to the point where some churchgoers have expressed fear of coming to church because of safety concerns about traveling on Fugate. Ball and the rescue squad are both encouraging drivers to avoid Fugate Road. They're asking people to remain patient during temporary traffic delays to protect local drivers and emergency responders. </div></body>

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COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — The Newport Rescue Squad is urging drivers to respect traffic restrictions on certain roads after a rescue was complicated by other vehicles. Newport Rescue Squad, Del Rio Fire, Cocke County Fire and Priority Ambulance rescued a person from a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Highway 25/70 East and Fugate Road in Cocke County on Friday after a "lengthy extrication that extended into the evening," according to NRS.

An unintended bypass road is causing issues for emergency responders

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COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — The Newport Rescue Squad is urging drivers to respect traffic restrictions on certain roads after a rescue was complicated by other v

An unintended bypass road is causing issues for emergency responders

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