Payson Roundup

A large refinery pipe snarled up traffic in town Tuesday afternoon as police and DPS authorities worked to snake the oversized load under lights and through intersections.

It took crews roughly 20 minutes to get the 90-foot conduit and trucks through town and under seven traffic lights, said Payson Police Sgt. Dean Faust.

Crews had to dismantle the overhead lights at the Manzanita Drive and Mazatzal Hotel and Casino intersections so the load could pass safely underneath. The load was traveling from Houston to California, entered town from westbound Highway 260, and exited out southbound on Highway 87, Faust said.

As the truck, which was being pulled by one semi and pushed by another, meandered through town, crews would close down an intersection and reopen it after the truck passed through. However, because the truck was moving extremely slow, traffic was backed up in both directions for several miles, Faust said.

Several irritated motorists reported being stuck behind the load and delayed for tens of minutes.

On Monday, when the load was traveling through the Heber area, one motorist reported being stuck behind the load for 45 minutes as crews painstakingly lifted up every overhead line so the truck could pass underneath.